AMERICAN ENSILAGE. 



505 



lately examined by me most of the acids in ensilage I found to be 

 acetic and butyric acid. 



A short time ago a sample of maize ensilage was sent to me from 

 Canada, in which I found, in round numbers, one per cent, of 

 butyric and other volatile organic acids. This sample contained 

 85.69 per cent, of water, or fully three per cent, more than the 

 sample which was sent to me from Boston, and although it has been 

 freely exposed to the air for nearly two months, the ensilage is 

 perfectly free from white mould. The Boston sample, on exposure 

 to the air for about a fortnight, got slightly mouldy on the top 

 layers, but not nearly to the same extent as the rye ensilage. 



The following are the results which I have obtained in the careful 

 and detailed analysis of the average samples drawn from the two 

 barrels of Boston ensilage. 



Composition of two samples of ensilage sent from Boston : 



You will notice that the rye ensilage contains about seven per 

 cent, less moisture than the maize ensilage, and much less acid than 

 the latter. Probably the green rye was too far advanced in growth 

 before it was put into silos, and not so rich in sugar as it was at an 

 earlier stage, when it contained less indigestible woody fibre. 



Much of the success in making ensilage depends upon the proper 

 state of maturity of the green food. Green rye, maize, and, in 

 fact, all kinds of succulent vegetable produce, should be cut down 



