90 SILOS, ENSILAGE AND SILAGE. 



the management of the fodder as the silo is filled. The 

 fodder put in the first day is not leveled at once, but 

 allowed to remain in a loose pile in the middle of the 

 silo until it is well heated and the fodder for the next 

 layer is ready to put in. The hot silage is then leveled 

 and packed at the corners and immediately covered with 

 the fresh fodder of the next layer. With a similar pur- 

 pose in view, the last load or two of the fodder of each 

 layer is left in a pile in the middle of the silo to heat 

 until ready to fill in the next layer. In this way hot 

 silage is provided in the middle of the silo, to fill the 

 corners where the heat is likely to be deficient. When 

 the silo is full the last layer is treated in the same way, 

 and when the desired temperature is developed the sur- 

 face is leveled and a cover of tarred paper and cut straw 

 or coarse hay, as described above, is finally added. This 

 cover should be well packed at the sides and corners, 

 and a few loose boards may be laid on, to keep it in 

 place. 



This simple method of covering was naturally sug- 

 gested by the well-known fact that a few inches in depth 

 of the surface of the silage was often moldy and spoiled, 

 and the obvious remedy for this difficulty was the addi- 

 tion of a stratum of straw or other coarse materials for 

 the molds to grow on, and thus protect the layer of 

 silage beneath from their action. This covering of 

 straw is soon saturated with moisture from the heated 

 mass under it, and is thus made more compact and 

 impervious to atmospheric influences. 



Aside from the check given to the acid ferments, the 

 slow method of filling the silo has advantages which 

 commend it to popular favor. The work can be carried 

 on leisurely and economically with the ordinary farm 

 force, and the entire storage capacity of the silo can be 

 utilized. Under the old method of rapid filling, thor- 

 ough packing and heavy weights, the space left at the 



