6 BULLETIN 953^ IT. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



During the fall and winter the silage was fed out as usual, and 

 whenever a level was reached the sack was removed, placed in a 

 closed can, and immediately sent to the laboratory for analysis. 



COLLECTION OF THE JUICE. 



The floor of the silo was tapped and a 1-inch pipe conducted the 

 silage juices to a receptacle outside and below the floor level of the 

 silo. During the first season a barrel was used to receive the juice, 

 but this proved unsatisfactory, and during the second season a cov- 

 ered concrete tank was employed. At first daily, later at more 

 extended periods, the juice collected since the previous sampling 

 was thoroughly mixed, and the sample, in an 8-ounce bottle, was 

 immediately sent to the laboratory for analysis. 



During the collection of a number of juice samples in the season 

 of 191^15 hard rains occurred which caused the barrel in which the 

 juice was collected to overflow or diluted its contents, thus destroy- 

 ing the value of the respective samples. Owing to these facts, the 

 results of this season's work on the juice are of value only as pre- 

 liminary and as indicating the approximate amount of juice lost 

 from the silo and the nitrogen contained therein. 



METHOD OF ANALYZING SAMPLES. 



The bags of silage were taken to the laboratory immediately after 

 removal from the silo. After the weights were taken the contents 

 were mixed and a 1-kilogram charge was taken for the gross- 

 moisture determination. The remainder was pulped in a power 

 meat grinder. The pulp was thoroughly mixed and charges for the 

 various nitrogen determinations immediately taken. The charge 

 for the gross-moisture determination was placed in a steam drying 

 closet and dried at a temperature between 50° and 60° C. to a con- 

 stant weight. It was then exposed to the air for several days and 

 the final weight taken to represent the air- dry condition. The 

 material was then ground in a power mill to a fine flour suitable 

 for analysis. 



The amino nitrogen was determined by the method of Van Slyke 

 and the ammonia nitrogen by the method of Folin and Macallum. 

 The other determinations were made according to the methods of 

 the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. 



RESULTS OF THE ANALYSES. 



The results of the experimental work are given in the following 

 tables. Table 1 gives the weight and chemical composition of the 

 corn in each sack as it was buried. Table 2 shows the weights and 

 chemical composition of the contents of the sacks as they were re- 



