16 ADVANTAGES OF THE SILO. 



will suffice in regard to two of these, clover and alfalfa. Only a 

 few accurate siloing experiments have been conducted with clover, 

 tout enough has been done to show that the necessary losses in 

 siloing this crop do not much, if any, exceed those of Indian corn. 

 Lawes and Gilbert, of the Rothamsted Experiment Station, Eng- 

 land, placed 264,318 pounds of first and second crop clover into 

 one of these stone silos, and took out 194,470 pounds of good 

 clover silage. Loss in weight, 24.9 per cent. This loss fell, ho-w- 

 ever, largely on the water in the clover. The loss of dry ma;tter ' 

 amounted to only 5.1 per cervC, very nearly the same amount of 

 loss as that which the same experimenter found had taken place 

 in a large rick of about forty tons of hay, after standing for two 

 years. The loss of protein in the silo amounted to 8.2 per cent. 

 In another silo 184,959 pounds of second-crop grass and second- 

 crop clover were put in, and 170,941 pounds were taken out. Loss 

 in gross weight, 7.6 per cent.; loss of dry matter, 9.7 per cent.; 

 of crude protein, 7.8 per cent. , 



in a siloing experiment with clover, conducted at the Wiscon- 

 sin Station, on a, smaller scale, Mr. F. G. Short obtained the fol- 

 lowing results: Clover put into the silo, 12,279 pounds; silage 

 taken out, 9,283 pounds; loss, 24.4 per cent.; loss of dry matter, 

 15.4 per cent.; of protein, 12.7 per cent. 



There is nothing in any of these figures to argue against the 

 siloing of green clover as an economical practice. On the other 

 hand, we conclude that this method of preserving the clover crop 

 is highly valuable, and, in most cases, to be preferred to making 

 hay of the crop. 



No extended investigation has been made as to the losses sus- 

 tained in the siloing of alfalfa, but there can be little doubt but 

 that they are considerably smaller than in making alfalfa hay, 

 if proper precautions guarding against unnecessary losses In the 

 silo are taken. According to the testimony of Professor Headden 

 of the Colorado Experiment Station, the minimum loss from the 

 falling off of leaves and stems In successful alfalfa hay making 

 amounts to from 15 to 20 per cent., and In cases where the con- 

 ditions have been unfavorable, to as much as 60 and even 66 per 

 cent, of the hay crop. Aside from the losses sustained through 

 abrasion, rain storms, when these occur, may reduce the value 

 of the hay one-half. The losses from either of these sources are 

 avoided in preserving the crop in the silo, and in their place a 



