SILOS, ENSILAGE AND SILAGE. 35 



" The second silo (pit) was fed after the first, lasting 

 until July 31st, when green corn was substituted. The 

 third silo (pit) was not opened until April 20, 1874, 

 when the interior was perfectly good, but a greater 

 thickness of the outside was spoiled." 



"After this experience M. Ore vat made pits of ma- 

 sonry of the following dimensions : Length, 26 feet at 

 top, 24 feet at bottom ; width, 8 1-2 feet at top, 6 1-2 

 feet at bottom ; depth, 7 1-2 feet, thus diminishing 

 the width and increasing the depth, to save labor in the 

 covering and uncovering of earth, and securing more 

 completely the exclusion of the atmosphere. 



" M. Ore vat thinks it is not necessary to fill the pits in 

 a single day, and prefers to dry the fodder from two to 

 three days before putting in the pit. He does not 

 believe that it pays to cut the stalks, and thinks the 

 mixing with straw, as practiced by many persons, is 

 unnecessary. He feeds green stalks from the field from 

 July 20 to Oct. 20, and the stalks secured in the stooks 

 from Oct. 20, to Jan. 20, following with the fermented 

 fodder to July 20, when green stalks are again used." 



" M. Houette has raised Indian corn for fodder for 10 

 years, and has practiced the system of ensilage for 4 

 years. On account of a wet soil, the earth silos were 

 abandoned and silos of masonry were made, consisting 

 of three parallel walls with ends, forming 2 silos 16 feet 

 wide, 9 feet high, and 138 feet long ; prefers to cut the 

 stalks before putting in the silo ; uses salt at the rate 

 of 4 kilogrammes of rock salt to 1,000 kilos, of cut 

 stalks, which is equal to about 8 3-4 Ibs. of salt to 2,200 

 Ibs. of stalks. He estimates the cost of harvesting, 

 handling, cutting and placing in silo, and covering with 

 earth, at 2 francs per 1,000 kilogrammes (2,200 Ibs.), 

 besides coal burned in engine. He says the maize thus 

 preserved is fed until the end of May, without any alter- 

 ation from fermentation beyond that taking place dur- 



