390. CORN ENSILAGE. 



, Taken from Silo No. 2, April 25, 1886. 



The silo, which furnished the above sample of corn ensilage, was 

 opened seven months after being filled. A layer of about six inches 

 in thickness had to be removed from the top, and the sides of the 

 contents of the silo to reach an acceptable fodder for cows. The 

 highest temperature, registered by the thermometer since its introduc- 

 tion into the silo at a depth of two feet at the time of closing, was 

 97.8° F. 



The main body of the ensilage was in a fine condition, of a yellow- 

 ish green color, somewhat lighter than in silo No. One. It had a 

 slightly acid smell and taste. To neutralize the free organic acids 

 contained in one hundredweight parts of fresh ensilage,* collected at 

 the opening of the silo, required 1.130 parts of sodium hydro.xide, 

 which is equal to 1.95 per cent, of acetic acid. The amount of ensi- 

 lage contained 0.027 parts of actual ammonia. 



A comparison of these observations with those made in connection 

 with the contents of silo No. One, shows that in our case the direct 

 filling and closing of the silo produced the best results. The con- 

 tents of the silo filled up at once with cut corn fodder, and subsequently 

 carefully closed up, had suffered less serious alteration in various 

 directions, than those that had passed through a previous heating- 

 process, in consequence of a longer exposure to atmospheric agen- 

 cies. The records of the thermometers, the chemical analyses of the 

 ensilage from both silos, and the general character of both kinds of 

 ensilage confirm our above conclusion. Adding to these statements 

 the circumstance that our cows decidedly preferred the ensilage from 



