848 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK ix. 



In constructing the clamp the greatest care must be taken to keep 

 the sides upright, and they should receive additional rolling on the top 

 in order that they may be properly compressed. The carts should be 

 led round as near the sides as possible for the same reason. It will 

 be found necessary to maintain the sides higher than the middle, as it 

 is impossible otherwise to keep the stack in proper shape. When all 

 the material has been brought to the clamp the tongue should be 

 turned up so as to ensure that the whole of the top shall be of uniform 

 height when it has settled. The clamp should be covered as soon as 

 possible, for less waste will result than when it is allowed to become 

 dried on the top. If during intervals of making, the surface dries, 

 it should be well watered, in order that an even sample may result. 

 As to weighting, it is a common practice to build a haystack on the 

 top of the silage to provide the pressure required, and this answers 

 admirably. As there is waste at the sides of all silage, it is advisable 

 to build large stacks or silos so that the extent of the sides may be 

 proportionately lessened. If care is taken to pack the material close 

 to the walls, the loss is considerably less in the case of silage made in 

 silos than when it is made in the stack, therefore small quantities are 

 more permissible in the silo than in the stack. Silage may be fed to 

 cattle at any time it may be required after it is once put together. 

 It will keep good for years if well secured. 



When ensilage was first practised it was urged by enthusiasts that 

 silage would be found to be a complete food like grass, and that it 

 would be possible to fatten beasts on it alone. Experience has shown 

 that this is only partly true, but that silage is very valuable when 

 forming a portion of a diet. It then takes the place of roots in virtue 

 of its succulence, and at the same time affords some of the nutritive 

 qualities of hay. Its feeding value is superior to that of roots, a ton of 

 silage being worth more than a ton of roots. The value of a ton of 

 silage may, however, vary greatly, first, from the kind and quality of 

 the material of which it is composed ; secondly, from the amount of 

 moisture in it ; thirdly, as to its condition, as denoted by freedom from 

 mould and from over-burned portions. 



As a means of preserving green crops which might otherwise be 

 wasted, and of securing most of the succulence and feeding pro- 

 perties of summer-grown crops for winter consumption, silage is found 

 to answer admirably. Still, in this country, predictions as to the in- 

 creased practice of the system have not been verified. On the con- 

 trary, it has been very little used in recent years. This is all the more 

 curious in the face of the fact that ensilage has continued to grow in 

 popularity in the United States and some of our Colonies. 



