II Oct., 1909.] Silos and Silage. 657 



SILOS AND SILAGE. 



A. S. Kenyon, C.E., Engineer for Agriculture. 



For the last three years farmers making and using silage have given 

 their experiences in the Journal. They may be found in the numbers for 

 December, 1906 ; August, 1907 ; and December, 1908. Since then, some 

 very interesting and valuable communications have been received and it is 

 now proposed to publish a further instalment. 



Mr. Rout, Willsmere Park, Kew. writes: — 



" In the autumn I filled it about three parts full of maize silage, and have fed 

 to 30 cows, and still have 3 feet of silage in it. I started to feed straight after 

 filling, and for 6 feet down there was about 6 inches damaged round the sides, but 

 we carted it out into the paddock for the dry stock, and they ate every bit of ii. 

 After that the waste was practically nil. There were a few white patches through 

 it, but the cows ate it greedily. I did not weight it but I think if it was weighted 

 with sand it would be a big improvement. I intend trying it next time I fill my 

 silo. I am well pleased with it. I had to make a door at the top of the elevator 

 box and another at the bottom underneath ; when the chain gets a bit slack it comes 

 off the sprocket wheel and it was very awkward getting it on until 1 made the 

 door." 



It is necessary when the chain is new to keep taking up the slack with 

 the adjustable bearings, and when possible taking a link out. This will 

 prevent the jumping referred to. The elevator lid is now put on in 

 sections so that it may be lifted off at any particular place. 



Mr. M. Kavanagh, Mooroopna, in July last, wrote giving his 

 experience : — 



" The silo was filled with amber cane. We have been feeding 30 milkers and 

 about two-thirds of the 100 tons is now used. Night and morning we give 30 lbs. 

 to each cow. We do not find much increase in miUv, but the cows are in good con- 

 dition. There have been mouldy [jatches all the way down the sides. We had 

 two men trampling the chaff during the three days we were filling the silo. I think 

 the air gets in at the sides. We used about 2 tons of ]josts for weighting, and had 

 ordv about i cwt. of damaged silage on top. I am going to fill the silo with 

 chaffed oats next season. I feel sure every farmer should have one or more silos." 



Mr. C. E. Tavlor, Tongala, was not successful and explains his 

 methods : — 



" I put 56 one-horse loads in the first silo and 47 in the either — 10 acres of Cape 

 barley, i acre of rye, and the rest wheat and wild oats. The barley was a first-c}ass 

 crop. I was guided by your instructions in the Journal. I started in the milky 

 stage, just when you can squeeze the milk out with your fingers and it was cut 

 mostly in the mornings. We put about 5 feet per day into the silo. It took 12^ 

 davs to fill the two ; then we soaked some old bags in the water channel close bv 

 and laid them over the top, and put 600 bricks on top of each silo. We have emptied 

 the last one we filled. The wild oats was on top of this one. The other silo is 

 full, and our cows are that saucy they will not eat the silage. I started in February, 

 and they ate it well till the grass got good, and we finished about the end of June. 

 It got worse all the way down. I put the last of it into the pigsties, as the cows 

 would not touch it. We did not weight it. We fed it in boxes in the bails. We 

 milk about 35 cows. Some cows will eat twice as much as others. One of us 

 trampled each load, while the others sharpened the knives. I do not think you 

 will ever make as good silage in overground silos as in a good brick pit in these 

 hot districts, where the glass is sometimes over 100 degrees. We had far too much 

 waste all round the sides, and patches also. It was caked so that we had to break 

 it up with a fork. As we got down the cows ate less, and it spoilt more the less 

 we took out. I do not think barley or rye is the best for the purpose. I will fill 

 the next one with Algerian oats, and will cut it greener, and not fill it so quickly ; 

 if no better I will give it best. I do not think we got 100 tons in them ; 103 one- 

 horse loads would not be anything like 200 tons. I think the other silo should be 

 a little better than the one we finished, because it was filled first, and it is on the 

 south side of the other, so it would keep the sun off it a bit." 



It is evident that the air was not sufficiently expelled in this case, 

 probablv the over-ripe stage of the crop contributed to this. There is 



