SILOS ami SILAGE. , 53 



green fodder to produce approximately 80 tuns of silage, and at a safe 

 estimate it should be filled by the product of from 5 bo 6 acres of maize. If, 

 however, larger supplies are available, better results are likely to follow with 

 a stack containing 100 tons or upwards. 



Directions for Stacking. 



A foundation of aboul 18 inches of grass or any coarse material should be 

 placed to receive the first layer of bundles, and a start made by placing the 

 first row of bundles with their butts in line with end pair of uprights in 

 the framework. Under no circumstances, however, should a timber 

 foundation he used, as this allows air to penetrate the bottom of the stack. 

 Successive rows of bundles, each overlapping the last, are laid until lie 

 entire floor of the framework is covered, the heads of the last row protruding 

 from 30 to 36 inches hey.. nil the last pair of uprights. In placing the second 

 layer, the heads and butts are reversed, and the stacking continued in this 

 manner. When a height of approximately 30 inches has heen readied, a 

 rough "straightedge" should be laid across the ends of the stack on the 

 outside edges of the last pair of uprights, and the protruding heads of the 

 bundles cut off and thrown back into the body of the stack. This practice 

 may not lie absolutely necessary, but is strongly advised, an unhroken and 

 compact face being thus presented to the weather, while the heads of the 

 alternate end rows of bundles are preserved and made to swell the stack 

 instead of being permitted to go to waste. After the first trimming has 

 heen made, the light cross pieces referred to earlier are placed in position 

 against the additional pair of uprights at the ends of the framework so as to 

 carry the protruding heads of the bundles of the ensuing layers. These 

 cross pieces carry little weight and should be easily adjustable; they can he 

 held in place by a pair of stout forks or wire .twitched to their supports. 

 After a further 30 or 36 inches of material has been stacked the ends are 

 again squared off with the straightedge and the cross-pieces elevated 

 accordingly, and so on until the completion of the stack. Under ordinary 

 conditions this operation would not be necessary more than once daily. 



For satisfactory results, a depth of Dot less than 30 inches over the surface 

 of the stack should be put on daily ; liberties in this direction can be taken 

 with immature material, but with more matured crops speed in handling is 

 imperative. If a portion of the crop is drier than the rest, it is advisable to 

 place it on, or near to, the bottom of the stack, and to have the heavier and 

 greener portion near to the top, in order that the drier portion may be 

 subjected to the greatest pressure, and that its deficiency of moisture may 

 be rectified by the soakage from the upper layers of the stack. Unlike hay, 

 silage suffers no damage from rain during stacking, and save for the incon- 

 venience caused thereby the work may proceed under moist weather 

 conditions without detriment to the product ; it is, in fact, sound practice 

 to apply water when stacking a crop that has attained an advanced stage 

 of maturity. In completing the stack the aim should be to leave the centre 

 slightly higher than the sides in order that a depression may not be formed 

 by the more complete heating and settling of the central portion ; this point 

 must be carefully observed when two or more classes of crop are ensiled in 

 one stack, and comple.e layers made of each. 



If the bundles are placed with average care, the weather waste on the 

 exposed surfaces should be comparatively slight ; heaviest waste will 

 necessarily be towards the top of the stack, and this can be materially 

 reduced by the application of even a light pressure. Good results may 



