34 SILOS, ENSILAGE AND SILAGE. 



tie, M. Eeihlen was so well pleased with his experiment 

 that he has continued the same system to the present 

 time." In the same article, as examples of the best 

 practice in France, and illustrating the change from 

 earth pits to silos of masonry, I likewise gave the expe- 

 rience of two farmers, as follows : " M. Ore vat says, 

 encouraged by the success of M. Moreul,* I prepared, in 

 1872, three pits in a good soil, with a gravel subsoil, of 

 the following dimensions, in round numbers : Length 

 at top, 26 feet ; at bottom, 22 feet ; width at top, 10 

 feet ; at bottom, 6 1-2 feet ; depth, 6 1-2 feet. Sep- 

 tember 12th, 13th and 14th filled the pits successively 

 with corn fodder (geant mais), 6 1-2 to 10 feet high. 

 The corn was harvested and left in bundles two or three 

 days in a hot sun. 



"The stalks were packed in the pits lengthwise, with 

 care, in layers 6 to 8 inches in thickness, with salt at 

 the rate of 73 pounds to each pit. On account of the 

 scarcity of workmen two days were required to fill each 

 pit. In the afternoon filled to the level of the soil, and 

 next morning heaped above to the height of 6 or 7 

 feet, covering with soil in the afternoon following, to 

 the depth of about 2 feet. 



" The first week the settling of the heaps was great 

 (at least 6 feet), when they were again covered with 

 earth to protect them from the rain, and then left with- 

 out other protection. April 15, 1873, a pit was opened. 

 The corn was perfectly preserved, of a yellowish color, 

 and of a peculiar but not disagreeable odor. 



"A thickness of 1 to 2 inches of the outside was black 

 and rotted. In 3 or 4 days 24 head of cattle became 

 accustomed to the feed, and ate it readily ; so that at 

 the end of 8 days they had consumed at the rate of 880 

 pounds per day. 



* We should not fall to notice M. Moreul, of Gri^nonniere, as the pioneer of the 

 new system in France, as he made his first silo in 1870, and continued the prac 

 tice with success, as shown in reports to the Journal d'Agriculture Pratique. 



