268 Tlie Silo and Silage-stack Competition, 1885-86. 
Easilage at Home and Abroid." The walls and floors are lined with cement, 
and the structure is altogether a commodious and handsome silo. 
The Judges examined the two compartments containing silage on the 
8th of December. The maize had been cut in the milky stage, chaffed, and 
pressed by Reynolds's patent. At 7 inches from the surface the silage gave 
an acid reaction. When offered to two Shorthorn-cows it was refused, at 
least while we remained in the yard. The amount of waste at the surface 
and sides was under the average. 
Silage Stacks. 
(1) Tlie Aylesbury Dairy Company, StammerJiam Farm, Horsham. — This 
silage stack was examined by the Judges on the 14th of November. It was 
built like an ordinary rick of hay, and then pressed by Mr. C. Gr. Johnson's 
patent, which has been illustrated and fully described in the ' Journal ' 
(Vol. xxi.. Part II., 1885, p. 729). The crop consisted of two-thirds trifolium, 
and one-third Italian rye-grass ; one half of the field being sown with 
" early " trifolium, and the other half with a " later " variety. The crop was 
cut in full bloom, and stacked in a corner of the field it grew on. The roof 
of the stack was finished or "peaked" with rough straw, as Mr. AUender 
did not care to risk more valuable fodder in his first attempt to make stack- 
silage. The early variety was cut and carried on the 12th and 13th of June. 
The later variety was cut and carried on the 22nd, 23rd, and part of the 
26th of June. The mechanical pressure had been applied to the stack in the 
intervals of cutting, and was calculated to exert a force of If cwt. on the square 
foot. The silage throughout was excellent in quality, the upper layers being 
.sweet, while the lower layers were acid. The silage was readily eaten by 
the cattle, and when chafl'ed with oat-straw gave out a deliciously fragrant 
odour, most ajipetising in its effects. The dimensions of the silage stack proper 
at the last inspection were 17 feet by 18 feet by 7i feet, which quantity of 
material should weigh about 50 tons. The crop in its natural state was esti- 
mated to weigh 70 tons. If these data can be relied on, it would appear that 
the change and loss in the stack amounts to about 30 per cent., which is a 
little more than was found in one silo at Rothamsted. The cost of making 
was given at 21. 2s. per acre (about 7s. per ton of silage), made up as under : — 
£ s. s. d. 
Cutting 3 0 = 7 G per acre. 
Loading, carting, delivery 4 12 =116 „ 
Making stack, treading 3 0 = 7 6 „ 
Labour in weighting 5 0 = 12 (! „ 
Interest on capital e.^cpended on apjJiance 2 0 = 3 0 „ 
i2 0 \, 
(2) Mr. Bichard Osmond, Weston, Lamhourn, Uerks. — This stack was made 
up of a mixture of sedge, coarse grass from the river side, and some rough 
meadow-grass. The whole had been pressed by Messrs. Amos and Hunt's 
chains and levers. The stack had the appearance of a small hayrick. It was 
put together about the end of July, — 25 cwts. of salt having been sprinkled 
on the outside portions, and the tlie total cost was 31/. 9s. When the stack 
was examined and cut into, on the 19th of November, the whole appeared 
.spoilt, the inside portions being dark in colour, and possessing an ovor- 
j)Owering smell ! But the J udges would not have put any value on the stuff 
lor feeding i)urposes even in its screen state. 
(3) Mr. T. Kirby, llook Farm, Bromley. — This entry consisted of 
meadow-grass of good quality placed in an old gravel pit, thoroughly trodden, 
