The Silo and Silage-stack Competition, 1885-86. 297 
of the whole. We gave this outside and dark-coloured silage to the cattle, 
and they ate it freely. We think the whole system excellent and fraught 
with much value for the future of agriculture. We cut a cube foot from 
the centre of the stack, and it weighed 64 lbs. Mr. Johnson gave us the 
record of his diary during the time of his working and filling the stack. 
It appeared from this record that for some time the temperature varied 
from 160 to 177 degrees, and fell on August 5tb to 3 65 degrees, in 
consequence of extra pressure being put on. At the bottom of the stack 
was a layer of very excellent silage made from an acre of winter vetches, 
which produced 14 tons of green fodder, and is considered now to be equal to 
12 tons of really valuable food fur any stock, everything, even pigs, eating it 
and thriving well upon it. The clover came next, producing nearly 10 tons 
to the acre, the leaf and flower being wonderfully preserved. The stack was 
completed with meadow hay, which had turned somewhat dark in colour, but 
was eaten readily by the cattle. The shape of the top of the stack was arched, 
and above this was put rough hay and straw, and then thatched in the 
ordinary manner. 
Mr. Reginald BelTs Stack, The Hall, Tliirsk. — This was a stack on the 
same principle as Mr. Johnson's, and we had an opportunity here of 
personally testing the temperature and learning some interesting details. We 
think it necessary to mention several points for future guidance in building 
stacks. This one was 22 feet long and 17 feet broad by 13 feet high, and there 
were 6 acres of clover, 8 of grass, and 3 of oats and tares cut green. It 
was thatched with wheat-straw, and the cost of cutting and filUng was about 
16s. per acre. The stack was commenced on August 4th, when 21 loads 
were put in ; on the 5th, 21 loads ; it then remained for a week. At first 
it was 20 feet high ; the apparatus was then put on, and the wires were 
screwed down to about 10 feet ; on August 12th, 20 loads of grass were added ; 
and on the 13th, 20 more. This raised it again to over 20 feet high ; the 
pressure was then again put on, and it was reduced to 15 feet. After 
5 days' rest, on August 19th, 23 loads of oats and tares were added — in all 
105 loads from the 17 acres, or about 6 tons to the acre. The grass was put 
on to the clover, and after the stack had remained quiet for a week, it was 
found that the 42 loads of clover had sunk to 3 feet 9 inches, and the 
40 loads of grass to 2 feet 6 inches, and the 23 loads of oats and tares occupied 
2 feet 9 inches — in all about 9 feet to little above the eaves. There were 
20 strands of wire-rope placed about 1 foot apart. The stack was opened on 
our arrival, and we found about 9 inches damaged along each side and each 
end ; the top and bottom good, although turned rather black in ]>laces. The 
clover was uniformly good, the grass very hot and nearly black, the oats and 
tares a fair colour. The whole was sweet, with a pleasant smell. On some of 
the very dark silage being given to the cattle they refused to eat it. We 
pierced the stack about 4 feet 6 inches, and foiind the thermometer registered 
133°, and in the oats and vetches it was 145°. During the time of building, 
the temperature, a few days after the grass was put on, was 170°. The com- 
pression was excessive, and at one end of the stack, when it was cut, the 
temperature was 152° on the da\' of inspection. From the amount of 
damage sustained apparently by this high temperature, and also by the 
thatch not being carried sufficiently low down the sides, we considered this 
stack not so successful as Mr. Johnson's, but its contents showed us that 
this system could be used to the general advantage of the community. The 
cost of the apparatus complete was only 15/. 
Mr. Edward Thornton Blunt, of Bldby Hill, near Leicester. — This is a 
circular stack 47 feet in circumference, and 14 feet high to the eaves. The 
system of pressure is from a lever-press supplied by the Ensilage Press Company, 
Leicester. The material was second-cut clover, and there were about 20 acres of 
