LEAVES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES IN SILOS. 101 



the siloing with alternate layers of tops, leaves and residuum 

 cossettes. 



Under all circumstances the tops should never be separately 

 siloed, otherwise they would lose too much of their nutritive 

 value and would rot. Upon general principles it is well to 

 alternate with the leaves a certain number of layers of straw 

 with a view to absorbing the excess of moisture thrown off by 

 the leaves and in this manner the soil is prevented from absorb- 

 ing it. This is the usual practice. 



If during the siloing a certain amount of salt is added, an 

 allowance must be made for this fact during feeding so that an 

 excess of this condiment will not be administered. 



In certain parts of Germany visited by the writer the beet 

 leaf siloing is done in silos about 6 feet deep with rounded 

 corners, the bottom slanting slightly. Upon it there is placed 

 a certain layer of straw, after which the leaves are placed to a 

 depth of about 5 inches, and the mass is compressed by sim- 

 ply stamping upon it. Then there are added about 7 Ibs. of 

 salt per ton of leaves, over which is placed a 4-inch layer of 

 straw, followed by another 5-inch layer of leaves, etc. , until the 

 mass is 3 to 4 feet above the level of the ground. 



Many years since Grouven made a series of experiments in 

 siloing leaves, and the combination giving the best results con- 

 sisted of 2,000 Ibs. of leaves, to which were added 150 Ibs. straw 

 and 500 Ibs. beet tops. After 6 months' keeping of the product, 

 the analysis showed that the addition of straw had a tendency 

 to retain the juice of the leaves, regulating at the same time the 

 fermentation. 



First of all the sugar contained in the tops disappears. It is 

 found from experiments that when the tops are siloed with their 

 leaves they had better be well chopped up. The extractive sub- 

 stances of the tops and a portion of the cellulose of the leaves 

 undergo an acid fermentation and are thus transformed into 

 many complicated constituents, the nutritious value of which is 

 very questionable. Finally, the proteid substances are trans- 

 formed into amides, the nutritive power of which is very much 

 less than albumin proper. A large portion of the disappearing 

 nutritive substances is changed into certain compounds that are 

 found in the liquid which separates or runs off from the leaves. 



