Preserving Green Forage 77 



walls ; and, wherever it binds, the air will get 

 under the plank and spoil the forage. An- 

 other reason is that, if the walls are uneven, 

 the forage as it descends under pressure will 

 be crowded from the wall wherever a bulge 

 exists, and, when it passes the bulge, it will let 

 in the air. The same holds true in pressing 

 the cover down evenly, which is one reason 

 why pressing by screws upon timbers placed 

 across the plank covering is so much better 

 than weighting. If these things are carefully 

 attended to, there will be no waste whatever 

 on top or around the walls, unless the cover is 

 allowed to come up when removing the plank 

 for cutting down the forage. The pressure 

 should not be removed from any plank except- 

 ing those that are removed for the purpose of 

 cutting down. This removal is the cause of so 

 much waste in so many silos. The governors 

 will remove the air from the bulk of the forage, 

 and prevent heat or fermentation, or any foul 

 odor or damage; but air getting in from the 

 outside will cause the forage to mould and 

 produce black rot. The air does not get into 

 the forage through the face of the perpendicu- 

 lar cut, if under proper pressure, and if cut 

 down with a sharp hay-knife. The whole cover 

 should not be removed from all the top at one 



