262 Feeds and Feeding. 



period of ten days. The contents having become settled, the 

 surface of the pit may be covered with fresh marsh grass, weeds, 

 chaff, cut straw or other cheap or waste substance, or a portion 

 of the surface silage may be allowed to decay and form the cover- 

 ing. The application of fifteen or twenty pounds of water to each 

 square foot of surface will cause the material at the top of the pit 

 to ferment rapidly and soon compact itself into an impervious 

 layer. Feeding from the silo may commence at once or may be 

 delayed indefinitely. If only a part of the silage is used during 

 winter the remainder may be covered again and held until sum- 

 mer, when it may serve a useful purpose during a period of drought 

 or short pastures. 



