220 The Feeding of Animals 



kinds of materials have been used in building silos, 

 wood, brick, and stone, the former material proving to 

 be the most satisfactory.* If the walls are of masonry 

 the inner surface must be cemented not only air-tight 

 but so smoothly as to allow easy and uniform settling 

 of the silage without leaving air spaces. If wood is 

 used, which is certainly to be preferred, the inside con- 

 struction must meet the same requirements. Lining a 

 wooden silo with iron has been suggested as practical 

 and economical. Economy demands that as a pre- 

 ventive against decay the inner woodwork should at 

 least be treated with some preservative, which may also 

 serve the purpose of obviating excessive swelling and 

 shrinking of the lining boards. 



Filling the silo. The condition of the crop and the 

 manner of filling a silo determine to a great extent the 

 character of the silage. Obviously it should be so 

 done as to reduce the loss of food compounds to the 

 lowest possible point. Three points are prominently 

 discussed in this connection: (1) the condition of the 

 crops; (2) the preparation of the material, and (3) the 

 rate of filling. 



Experience has thoroughly demonstrated that the 

 maturity of a crop influences its value for silage. This 

 is known to be especially true of the corn crop. An 

 immature corn fodder, which always carries a high 

 percentage of water with less of the matured products, 

 such as starch, is always certain to change to very acid 

 silage. On the contrary, mature corn, when properly 

 handled, is converted into a product with the minimum 

 acidity and with an appearance and aroma much 



* Satisfactory silos are now built of wood with a cement lining. 



