ALFALFA FOR THE SILO. 855 
eut in short lengths as it packs better 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. 
