^HE HISTORY OF SILOING. 249 



the practice of burying grain in underground pits 

 to save it for future use, or from enemies. It is 

 possible therefore that the idea of the possibiUty of 

 curing food on the principle now practiced in making- 

 silage was the outcome of the accident of hiding it 

 from enemies and then finding it in good condition 

 for use after it had been buried for a period more 

 or less prolonged. 



There is ample evidence to show that semi- 

 barbaric races in various countries ha^ie not only 

 known of this method of preserving food but to some 

 extent they have practiced it. Notably is this true 

 of certain of the peoples of northern Europe, as for 

 instance, those located in the regions around the 

 Baltic sea, where rainy harvests render it difficult to 

 preserve fodder for animals in the dried form. 

 Their necessities therefore caused them to give some 

 attention to a question that under other conditions 

 would have attracted no attention whatever. 



Utilisation of the Idea. — For about a century 

 the preservation of green food by the same method 

 substantially as that followed in making sauerkraut 

 has prevailed to some extent in various parts of 

 Germany. But it was not until the approach of the 

 middle of the present century that attempts were 

 made to preserve food thus on a large scale. The 

 introduction of the manufacture of sugar beets into 

 central Europe is doubtless responsible, in part at 

 least, for the greatly increased attention that then 

 began to be given to presei^ving food by burying it in 

 pits. It was found a necessity in utilizing sugar 

 beet tops and sugar beet pulp to the best advantage. 

 But even then the process spread slowly owing 



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