SILOS WD si l. AGE. 71.'5 



If, on the other hand, it contains too much sap, a mushy, evil-smelling pro 

 duel will be produced, the condition being so l>a<l in some cases us to make 

 it valueless. Crops of wheat, barley, or oats which have made good growth 

 and have not been withered by heal or drought are in the best condition 

 just after the ears appear. These crops, even when thoy have made rank 

 growth, do not contain too much moisture. At Coonamble Experiment 

 Farm eilage of extra good quality lias been made from barley grown on black 

 soil, which had lodged so badly through rank growth that it was extremely 

 difficult to cut. This crop was cut before it had all eared in August, and 

 was put straight hit > pits. At Condobolin Experiment Farm barley was 

 also used; and at Trangie and Nyngan Farms silage has been made from 

 wheat, and in every ease the silage was excellent in character. 



Maize and sorghum make good silage when cut at the time the cobs are 

 well formed in the former and when the heads are well out in the latter. 

 Rape cannot be converted into silage owing to its great sappiness. Even 



st iav plants of rape mixed with barley put into the silage pit at Coonamble 

 came nut mushy and useless. 



Among natural herbage; trefoil and variegated thistles make good silage, 

 but it is as well to let the material wilt a few days before putting it into the 

 pit. It is doubtful whether very succulent herbage such as crowfoot will 

 make good silage. It contains so much sap that it would be risky to make : 

 but if it were allowed to dry somewhat, and could be mixed with drier 

 material, it might turn out satisfactorily. 



In the wheat-growing belt it will pay the farmer best to grow crops 



especially for silage, as on the red soil country heavy growths of natural 

 herbage rarely occur. Barley and wheat are very suitable, and crops 

 infested with oats can be utilised. 



In raising crops for silage early sowing should be practised. By doing 

 this a heavier growth is usually obtained, as advantage is taken of the early 

 autumn rains, and in addition the crops can be handled before haymaking 

 is due. In many cases the most satisfactory crop is Cape barley, as it makes 

 a very strong growth and gives a big yield. 



Types of Silo. 



Various means are used for putting up silage. In the dairying districts 

 the usual and most convenient method is properly constructed tub silos. 

 These vary both in shape and in the material used in the construction. It- 

 is also put up in stacks, which are generally weighted, often in ingenious 

 ways, to exclude air and prevent loss. Even when the greatest precautions 

 are taken, however, this is a very wasteful method, both of labour and of feed. 



In the wheat-growing districts, especially where the silage is intended for 

 sheep, the pit method is undoubtedly the best. By this means silage can 

 be made with the least amount of labour, and with a minimum loss of 

 material. It is not rivalled even bv the most up-to-date silo, as when the 

 latter is u -ed the material must be chaffed, and this means greater expense 

 in making the silage, and when it is being fed to stock troughs of some kind 

 are required as feeders, whereas the crop is put into the pit whole and when 

 the silage is taken out it needs only to be spread over clean ground for the 

 stock. 



