32 AGRICULTURAL 



feet; their other dimensions are 13x14 feet each. The ensilage 

 experimented on was nearly matured corn cut to about one- 

 inch lengths. The silos were filled as rapidly as possible; the 

 only packing it received was the treading of one or two men 

 necessary to keep the surface level. When filled the ensilage 

 was not weighted but simply covered with a layer of straw or 

 other litter about a foot in depth. When the silos were opened 

 for feeding a layer only a few inches in depth was found unfit 

 for feeding; the remainder was of good quality, barely moist, 

 olive brown in color, slightly acid, with a pleasant aromatic 

 odor. 



When ensilage handled. as above described remains uncov- 

 ered a high degree of heat develops in the superficial layers 

 after twenty-four or forty-eight hours. From the surface 

 downward the heat rapidly increases, reaching a maximum at 

 from eight to twelve inches, and from that point gradually 

 decreasing as the depth becomes greater. The maximum 

 temperature taken by mercurial thermometer ranged in our 

 observations from 110° F. to 149°, the latter being the highest 

 degree noted; in the majority of cases it was about ten degrees 

 lower. 



Five electrodes were installed, two in silo Xo. 1 (west) and 

 three in silo Xo. 2. 



Electrode No. 1 was placed in position September 7, between 

 eight and nine feet from the bottom of the silo. It remained 

 about one and one half feet below the surface of the corn over 

 night; the next morning the upper layers were well heated. 

 The first temperature was taken September 9, and was 118.4° 

 F. This proved to be the maximum for this electrode; at a 

 later reading the same day the temperature had already begun 

 to fall. The temperature fell most rapidly during the first 

 ten days, and then gradually and very uniformly until un- 

 covered. 



Electrode No. 2 was put in place September 9, about ten 

 feet above No. 1, and was deeply covered by the day's cutting. 

 The temperature rose from 84° September 11 to a maximum 

 of 105° October 6, and then gradually fell to 85° January 14. 



Electrode No. 3 was placed in silo No. 2 September 13, about 



