89 



and opinions differ widely. The object is always to make the 

 ensilage compact, and thereby leave little room for air, on which 

 depends fermentation and decay. In a deep silo the greater 

 part is sufficiently compressed by a few feet of ensilage at the top, 

 so that there is small percentage of waste, even when no weight 

 is applied above the ensilage. Screws are used by some instead 

 of weights. The objection to them is that they are not self-act- 

 ing, like gravity. 



The cost of silos, per ton of capacity, varies from four or five 

 dollars, for walls of heavy masonry and superstructures of elab- 

 orate finish, to fifty cents or less for the simplest wooden silos. 

 Earth silos without wall can be excavated with plow and scraper, 

 when other w r ork is not pressing, at a trfling cost. 



The cost from field to silo is variously reported from thirty- 

 five cents — and in a single instance ten or twelve cents — for 

 labor alone, to two dollars and upwards per ton ; though the 

 higher amounts include the entire cost of the crop, not the 

 harvesting alone. There is a general expectation^that experi- 

 ence will bring a considerable reduction in the cost of filling. 



The ensilage should remain under pressure at least until 

 cool, and be uncovered after that when wanted. 



In nearly all cases the loss by decay was very slight, and 

 confined to the top and sides where there was more or less expos- 

 ure to air. 



Generally the ensilage has kept perfectly for several months, 

 showing no deterioration while any remained in the silo, except- 

 ing where exposed for a considerable time. It is better to 

 uncover a whole silo, or compartment of a silo, at once, and thus 

 expose a new surface each day, than to cut down sections. 



Ensilage has been fed to milch cows more generally than 



any other class of stock, and no unfavorable results are reported. 



There can be little doubt that its great value will always be 



found in this connection. Several feeders consider it equal in 



value to one-third of its weight of the best hay, and some rate 



higher. 



* 



There is a marked increase in quantity and improvement in 



