The Ensilage of Fodders. 261 



pounds of silage daily, — silos to be of sufficient capacity to hold 

 silage for 180 days: 



Necessary diameter of silos for feeding different numbers of cows 

 while removing from 2 to S.S inehes of silage daily — King. 



411. Rate of filling. — From seven to fifteen days should be al- 

 lowed for filling the silo, as this not only permits more feed to be 

 stored, but also insures better and sweeter silage with smaller 

 loss of dry matter than when the operation is crowded into a 

 period of two or three days. Time is required for the silage to 

 settle and to expel the entangled air by heat and by setting free 

 carbonic acid gas. 



On the subject of filling King writes:* " Corn and clover may 

 be put into the silo either whole or cut, as seems best under the 

 circumstances. In either case good silage can be made if proper 

 care is taken, but more care and usually more time will be re- 

 quired to fill a silo with either whole corn or clover than to run 

 it through the cutter first; and it is certain that more time will be 

 required to talce the silage out of the silo if put in whole. . . . 

 To insure the best silage and the least loss of dry matter it is im- 

 portant that the silage should have a depth at the close of filling 

 of not less than 24 feet, and 30 feet is better than 24 feet." 



412. Filling and covering. — During filling the inpouring material 

 should be well spread and tramped near the walls, and should 

 also be well tramped every two or three days thereafter for a 



Log. cit 



