68 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



and placed in cemented tanks, of a capacity each of about 

 20 cubic meters (26 cubic yards). The pit emptied one 

 day is filled the next with about 10,000 kilograms (22,000 

 pounds), composed, as before stated, of 9,000 kilograms of 

 chopped beets and 1,000 kilograms of chopped straw. In about 

 twelve hours the mass begins to ferment, throwing off vapors 

 charged with perceptible quantities of alcohol; immediately 

 thereafter it is fed to the live stock which eat it with avidity. 

 At Mr. Leduc's farm each calf is fed twice a day with 5 

 kilograms (11 pounds) of this fermented fodder, adding 250 

 grams of oil-cake. The fattening is effected in variable periods, 

 depending upon many conditions; ninety days, however, is 

 considered to be a fair average. From this we may con- 

 clude that the total consumption was 450 kilograms of fer- 

 mented mass with a gain of about 50 to 55 pounds. This 

 fermented mass may be kept in a perfect state of preservation 

 for an entire year. Roots, on the other hand, may be preserved 

 in silos for several of the winter months without any appreciable 

 change in their nourishing qualities; their perfect preservation, 

 however, during the summer is practically impossible. 



Especial care is taken to compress the sliced beets so that the 

 fermentation may be effected evenly throughout the mass. 

 When the silos are filled, the upper surface is covered with from 

 six to eight inches of earth. After a short time fermentation 

 ceases and the mass is in a condition to be kept for a consider- 

 able length of time, as the carbonic acid evolved will prevent 

 any putrid fermentation. Mr. Leduc's experiments have shown 

 that this food is sufficiently delicate to be eaten with advantage 

 by young lambs, as they all remained in a perfectly healthy con- 

 dition. These experiments were limited to some 4,000 sheep. 

 It is also asserted that two cows may be well kept for an entire 

 year on 12 tons of beets, the result of one acre of land, while, 

 under the ordinary French system of pasturing, at least three 

 acres would be needed to obtain an equal result. 

 Fermentation.* A reasonable fermentation is without doubt an advantage in 



*The experiments of Hellriegel and Lucanus appear to show, that a prelim- 

 inary fermentation of rye straw in no way increased its digestibility. Experi- 

 ments of Hornberger show that steaming of certain fodders, such as meadow 

 hay, diminished very considerably the digestibility of its protein. 



