14 N. H. Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 305 



the thirty- four operators suggested more than this amount per ton. and in 

 all cases of severe spoilage, the trouble could be traced back to the use of a 

 lesser amount. 



Most operators apply the acid directly to the green material as it passes 

 over the feeding table. This method is the simplest but the application of 

 16 pounds of phosphoric acid to 2,000 pounds of green material requires 

 very great care to see that the acid is properly distributed. A better method 

 is to dilute the acid with four or five times its weight of water and run 

 it into the blower drum as is suggested with molasses. All silo fillers may be 

 fitted for a pipe to receive the diluted phosphoric acid at the proper point 

 in the blower drum. 



It would seem reasonable to suggest that less acid would be necessary 

 to preserve non-legume material or mixed grasses and legumes, but the 

 results of the survey do not prove this and the results of experiments are 

 not available as yet so far as we know. The diflference in cost in using 

 a lesser amount, however, is small, and while it amounts to a tidy sum on 

 a full silo, the risk of spoilage is great if too little acid is used. Therefore, 

 the definite advice is to use 16 pounds of acid to the ton of green material 

 until further work shows that the amount may be successfully reduced for 

 any particular crop or mixture of crops. 



Adding Water to Green Material 



The best quality of silage is made when the crop is cut at the bloom 

 or just before bloom stage for the grasses, alfalfa, and clover; and when the 

 pods are well filled on the soybean plant and before any leaves are lost. 

 Then the crops are put into the silo without wilting and with no water added. 

 Crops cut at these ideal stages and ensiled at once need no additional water 

 except that added at the top when sealing the silo. The moisture in the 

 ensiled material should be 70 per cent. If there is reason to believe that 

 this amount of moisture is not present, then water must be added. 



The methods of tramping, sealing the silo, treatment of silo, and general 

 use of harvesting and filling machinery have all been covered in the molasses 

 silage section and need not be repeated here. 



Feeding Silage made with Phosphoric Acid 



When properly made, silage preserved with phosphoric acid is as valuable 

 for all classes of livestock as any other silage. Most operators rated it 

 equal or superior to hay or corn silage. It can be used to replace all the corn 

 silage usually found in the ration and a part of the hay. It is desirable 

 to feed some dry hay with the acid silage, however. The results of the 

 survey show that it may be and is being used for dairy cattle, beef cattle, 

 young and dry stock, horses, sheep, and swine and to some extent for 



