128 FARMING ON FACTORY LINES 



combustion. In order to attain the best results, it is 

 advisable to spread through the stack about 14 lbs. 

 of agricultural salt after the addition of every ton of 

 silage material. When the stack contains about 20 

 or 30 tons it is left alone until the temperature rises 

 to from 130° F. to 140° F. Immediately this 

 temperature is reached another 20 or 30 tons or so is 

 added to the stack, which is once more left until the 

 temperature reaches the same level, and so on until 

 the stack is completed. 



If this is done, and the recommendations as to the 

 use of salt and weighting of the stack are followed, 

 the maximum temperature attained will seldom 

 exceed 160° F. If there is any danger of the 

 temperature exceeding this figure when the stack is 

 finished, the best course is to strip off part of the soil 

 and pour on the stack from 40 to 80 gallons of strong 

 brine. This is, of course, not possible where a stack 

 of hay is built on top of the silage, but if the hay 

 stack is added before the temperature has reached 

 140° F., no danger of the temperature rising to 160° F. 

 need be anticipated. 



The effect of the salt in controlling the temperature 

 is probably due to the salt's antiseptic nature, but on 

 this, and on many other points in connection with 

 silage-making and the chemical changes in connection 

 with same, there is great need for further research. 



EXCESSIVE MOISTURE 



In continuous bad weather it is sometimes difficult 

 to dry the silage material sufficiently to make silage 

 on the above plan. When this is the case, the best \ 

 course is to mix with the green material straw or hay 1 

 left over from the previous year, at the rate of one I 



