264 The Silo and Silage-stack Competition, 1885-8G. 
Compartment 1. — Trifolium, oats (Reynolds's cliains). 
9 . 
i> — • )> )> 
3.— Oats. 
„ 4. — Tares, trifolium, oats (screw pressure). 
„ 5. — Trifolium, oats (concrete blocks). 
,, C— Maize (old iron in boxes). 
7. — Hopbine, maize (concrete blocks). 
The hopbine averaged about 2 tons to the acre, the remaining crops 
averaging 8 tons of green stuff to the acre. 
The Judges witnessed the opening of this silo on the 18th of November, and 
found the oat-silage in Compartment 1, and trifolium-silage in Compartment 3, 
to be of excellent quality, and decidedly acid. The tare-silage in Compart- 
ment 4, and the oat-silage in Compartments, were of fair quality. The maize 
in Division 7 was very good. The Judges found considerable waste where the 
maize-silage and hopbine came in contact with the large door, the maize 
having rotted for over 12 inches of its end section. The hopbine was ex- 
ceedingly hot and dry underneath the maize, which no doubt aggravated the 
waste noticed. There was less waste in those compartments where dead 
weights were used, both on the surface and at the sides, than where the 
mechanical pressures were applied. 
(4) Mr. William Body, Wittersliam, Kent.- — This silo is a new structure, 
18 feet 9 inches by 17 feet 3 inches by 8 feet 9 inches. It is entirely 
under the ground-level, the soil being sandy loam. The floor is made of 
6-inch concrete, with a thin coat of cement. The walls, or sides, are 
made of creosoted timber, with no lining. A drain was put at the foun- 
dation, to carry off any moisture. The silo is divided into four com- 
partments. The roof is made of larch-fir jwsts, deal timber, and corrugated 
iron. The total cost of the silo, roof, and mechanical pressure was 37/. 8s., 
or a little above 13s. per 50 cubic feet of capacity. The crops ensiled 
were rough meadow-grass, with a little trifolium and trefoil, which were 
})11 pitted in fine weather. There was the usual amount of waste and 
mouldiness. 
(5) Mr. T. Kirhy, Ilooh Farm, Bromley. — This silo is a new structure, 
14 feet of the depth being under the level of the ground and 6 feet above. The 
dimensions are 44 feet by 270 feet by 20 feet, at a total cost of 200?., or about 9s. 
per 50 cubic feet of capacity. The whole building is most substantially con- 
structed, the walls being 14 inches thick, with a division wall 25 inches, making 
two compartments. The roof is made of timber and slate. The sides of the walls 
are lined with cement, and made exceedingly smooth. The chief filling is done 
through a door in the side-wall at the ground-level. When the fodder rises 
inside the silo above the ground-level, the green grass is then elevated through 
a large opening in the gable ends. The floor of the silo is formed by the 
gravel which underlies the clay in this part of the country ; but when 
examined the second time, the silage at the bottom was not dry — proving 
that there was no outlet for the moisture at that time. The pressing is most 
effectively and economically done with about a foot deep of soil over the 
whole surface, — ^the pressure last year being estimated at about 70 lbs. per 
square foot. The only precaution taken to protect the grass from contact 
with the soil is the placing of boards round tlie edges of the fodder for about 
two or three feet. It was surprising what little waste there was, either on 
thi surface or at the sides. 
The cutting of very good meadow grass was begun during the second and 
third week of June. The carts followed the mowing machines, but the grass 
was not chaffed last season. The produce of 140 acres was cut, carried, and 
