IS ENSILAGE A SUCCESS? 159 



1. Silos may be made with any of the various building 

 materials, and some very crudely and cheaply constructed 

 have been found to do good service. 



2. Silos may be above ground, or under ground, or partly 

 both ; they should be water-tight and preferably air-tight 

 and frost-proof, although these two points are not essential. 



3. The situation and construction of the silo, and the 

 arrangements for filling, covering and emptying, should be 

 largely governed by local conditions. 



4. Several small silos, independent or connecting, are 

 better than one large one, and the depth should be consid- 

 erably greater than the length, width or diameter. 



5. A silo that will prove efficient may, therefore, be built 

 at a cost varying from twenty-five cents to five dollars for 

 every ton of ensilage it will hold. But, like an ice-house, 

 a substantial, well-built structure, costing about two dollars 

 per ton capacity, will probably prove in the end the most 

 economical. 



G. Silos may be filled slowly or quickly, in all weathers, 

 the forage plants cut or pitted whole, and the cover may be 

 heavily weighted or not weighted at all ; the ensilage pro- 

 duced will vary in condition and quality, but these varia- 

 tions of management do not materially affect the result. If 

 the silo is not air-tight on the sides, however, it must be 

 well-covered and heavily weighted. 



7. Any plant or vegetable product, good for cattle food 

 when green or fresh, may be preserved as ensilage, in an 

 edible and succulent condition, throughout the year, or for 

 several years. 



8. As a rule, all horses, mules, neat cattle, sheep, swine 

 and poultry, are fond of ensilage, if its material is ever 

 such as eaten by them. Most farm animals prefer it to the 

 best dry forage. 



9. The best time at which to cut any growing plant to 

 make good ensilage, is when the plant approaches maturity 

 and has begun to decrease in the percentage of its water 

 contents. 



10. The cost of preserving a given crop as ensilage 

 does not materially differ from curing the same crop by 

 drying, in a suitable season ; but crops can be ensiloed and 



