128 Colcord's System of 



silo, a slight acetic tendency was noticed, 

 which passed away in a short time, some- 

 thing not unlike the change in the acidity of 

 a Baldwin apple from November to May. 

 Carbonic acid was also noticed ; and, as this 

 is heavier than air, it was supposed that this 

 in a measure displaced the air in the silo, thus 

 assisting Mr. Colcord in his desire to make the 

 ensilage perfectly free from air, which must be 

 present if there is any fermentation. One 

 very peculiar thing about the contents of the 

 silo, as it filled, was the large amount of juice 

 which accumulated at the bottom ; but this was 

 afterwards absorbed, apparently by capillary 

 attraction, and brought even to the very top. 

 In feeding the ensilage, it was taken out in 

 vertical layers ; and at any time large quanti- 

 ties of juice can be squeezed from it, even from 

 portions taken from the top. The result of 

 this experiment was a perfectly sweet, juicy 

 ensilage, without any evidence of putrefac- 

 tion, and only slight acidity. The cattle eat 

 it readily, there is no waste, and no odor 

 from the forage about the barn or on the 

 hands or clothing of those handling it. The 

 silo was filled with mature corn in full milk, 

 just beginning to glaze and ripen, which would 

 have yielded about 100 bushels of shelled corn, 



