ALFALFA FOR THE SILO. 355 



cut in short lengths as it packs hetter and keeps 

 better. It is good food for cows, calves and pigs. 

 It is by some especially recommended for pigs. 



Steam Cured Silage. — Perfect silage could prob- 

 ably be made from alfalfa by the steam curing pro- 

 cess. This consists of filling the silo and imme- 

 diately turning into the center 'of the mass, low 

 down, a volume of steam. Steam continues to enter 

 until all the silage clear to the top is of a tempera- 

 ture of about 212°. In making silage by this opera- 

 tion the bottom of the silo should not be concrete 

 as much moisture will come from the condensing 

 steam. 



Silage in Rainy Regions. — Men have reported cut- 

 ting alfalfa while rain was falling, raking and put- 

 ting it directly into the silo with good results. The 

 chief hope of the silo for alfalfa is for regions where 

 there is excessive rainfall at time when the first crop 

 should be cut. In Louisiana and Mississippi one 

 finds these conditions. 



In passing it may be mentioned that in silo build- 

 ing only good silos are worth considering. Those 

 of concrete are cheapest in the long run, and silos of 

 thin concrete walls, well reinforced with steel, then 

 coated on the inside with pitch or black asphaltum 

 paint till they have a glossy surface, keep silage ex- 

 ceedingly well. 



