PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH ENSILAGE. 85 



probable, however, that the earthen walls allow of the more easy and 

 rapid escape of the air enclosed in the mass of vegetable matter, 

 the superincumbent pressure being sufficient to force it out into the 

 interstices, which are found even in the most finely comminuted 

 cla}"S. In cemented silos this air can only escape at the top, through 

 the covering of straw and boards. A few words as to the rationale 

 of the process. The great object to be attained is the thorough ex- 

 clusion of air, which contains oxygen, the great agent of deca} T . 

 Goffart, until quite recently, held that the ensilage underwent some 

 kind of fermentation which preserved it from further decay. With- 

 in the last few years, however, he has "become convinced." he 

 does not give us the grounds of his conviction, that the ensilage 

 is preserved absolutely unchanged, and that it does not ferment 

 until after its removal from the silo, and its subsequent exposure to 

 air. Others, notably Dr. Baile}', contend, as before remarked, that 

 the oxygen of the small amount of air left in the mass unites with 

 the carbon of the vegetable matter, and forms carbonic acid, which 

 bathes the mass, and expels, by its superiority of weight, the scant}'' 

 residuum of air, and prevents its re-entrance. 



All this seems to be mere hypothesis : what we want are facts. 

 But, even in a theoretical point of view, such changes do not neces- 

 sarily occur. No one, not even Goffart, would contend that there is 

 a perfect exclusion of air, and that all has been expelled from the 

 vegetable matter. Now, it is highly probable that the oxygen of this 

 included air, instead of combining with the carbon of the ternary 

 principles of the plant, unites with its albuminoids. It is well known 

 that nitrogenous matters, such as flesh, white of eggs, blood, fibrin, 

 gluten, etc., are the first to decay or putrefy. This putrefaction is 

 induced by their union with the oxygen of the air. In the presence 

 of the sugar, starch, and other amylaceous principles of the corn, its 

 decaying albuminous matters act as ferments, and convert the sugar, 

 etc., into alcoholic and carbonic acid ; in other words, induce alco- 

 holic fermentation. But, as the corn, etc., has but a small content 

 of albuminoids, the fermentation is soon arrested, for want of mate- 

 rial (ferment). Hence the fermentation is slight, and the mass 

 remains comparatively unchanged. In my experiment of last year, 

 the pitted corn, or ensilage, at the opening of the pit, was not alto- 

 gether unchanged. There was every evidence of some alcoholic fer- 

 mentation : the mass was slightly discolored, presenting the boiled 

 appearance of the grass preserved by the East Prussian method before 

 described, and possessed an alcoholic taste and odor. 



