98 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



COMPOSITION OF BEET LEAVES SILOED IN Two WAYS. 



Furthermore, these leaves during the wilting lose part of the 

 water, which may be considered an advantage. They should 

 be well shaken as a preliminary operation, with a view to 

 getting rid of any adhering earth, and then compressed into 

 silos dug out of the ground, cemented or not, as the case may 

 be. The silos are usually about six feet in depth; their length is 

 variable and may suit the ideas of each farmer. The width of 

 four or five feet appears satisfactory; the bottom should have a 

 slight slant, say J inch per yard and suitable means for drain- 

 age. The method of filling, and also the most desirable con- 

 dition of the leaves before being siloed, remain open questions. 



There are various modes of compressing the leaves in the 

 silos, one of which consists of allowing a cart with \vide tires to 

 pass over each successive layer. This operation is repeated 

 several times. However, precaution should be taken that the 

 wheels of the wagon do not pass over in the same rut each time. 

 In such cases the silos have a width equal to twice the spacing 

 between the wheels of the cart. Excessive pressure is not de- 

 sirable in beet-leaf preservation. Experiments show that leaves 

 partially lose their nourishing value when submitted to great 

 pressure. The custom of treading down the upper surface 

 should be abandoned. The leaves are piled up several feet 

 above upper border of the silo. These soon settle and more 

 leaves are thrown on top; when the surface remains constant a 

 conical pile of leaves forms the top; this is covered with a layer 

 of earth, the thickness of which depends upon the ambient 

 temperature. Care must be taken that cracks be well filled, so 

 as to keep out air. 



