184 
Report on the Practice of Ensilage, 
26. Mr. E. Hoare (jper J. Austen, Farm Bailiff), Pagehurst Farm, Staple- 
hurst, Kent. — We first built one silo 20 feet long, 10 feet deep, and 10 feet 
in width, divided into two, so that they were each 10 feet square. It is 
built with bricks and mortar, and faced with cement, paved at the bottom 
and cemented. The cost of building the silo was about bOl. I have said 
before that it would last forty years, but I do not see why it should not last 
eighty years, it being under a covered roof. The second one was built the 
same size, adjoining the other, so there woidd be one wall common to the two, 
and therefore the cost of the second silo would be only 40?., which is easily 
imderstood, it being all 18-inch work. We first filled the silo with trifolium 
cut up with a horse chafi-cutter, and trodden in evenly and well. Then a 
little straw, abouu as thick as yoiu hand, was placed on the top of the fodder 
before the planks, which were loaded with about 50 lbs. to the square foot, 
including planks, care being taken to load the ends of the planks well ; then 
the food will come out well. I have pitted vetches in just the same waj', 
also clover and rye-grass, which all came out well. 1 have some maize in 
now, and it keeps very well indeed. I feel sure that if the food is put in 
evenly, 50 lbs. per foot is sufBcient weighting, that is to say, if it is kept air- 
tight ; but if the fodder is put in without cutting, no doubt it would require 
more weight. I believe in filling the pits as quickly as jMssible after they 
are begun, as it is less expense and better for the fodder. I have filled seven 
pits now in all, and I find 3 inches to the foot is an average shrinkage after 
it is sealed in. All fodder wants cutting before the bloom falls; if it is too 
old and dry, I find it does not ferment properlj-. As regards the cost in 
fining ; an average distance from the field to the pit would be 200 yards, 
that would be on a farm of 200 or 300 acres. To fill one silo, 2000 cubic feet, 
the cost would be as follows : 
£ s. d. 
Mowing 15 0 
Carting 2 14 0 
Cutting with horse 0 18 0 
Patting in silo 090 
Spreading it over and treading in silo 2 5 0 
This expense * will include putting on planks, stones, or whatever the 
covering may be. Cost of planks, 3/. Is. Qd. ; stone, 17. 10s. 
The dates of filling were June 29th, July 13th, and October 8th. The 
pitted fodder is cut down in cants as it is used, like a load of hay, and I 
believe it will produce more milk and butter than if preserved in any other 
way. I prefer putting the crop in the silo when dry, but it will keep if 
this is not done. If taken out in cants, my experience is that it will keep 
without being rapidly consumed, if it has been sufficiently pressed. My 
experience has not been large. I used the fodder last year partly as it was 
and partly mixed with dry food, and I found that the stock did well u^wn 
it.— Nov., 1883. 
I visited Mr. Hoare' s farm on November 20th, 1883, and 
found that Mr. Austen had opened and cut down for about six 
feet in depth the silo containing the vetches. The silage was 
excellent in every way except a few inches at the top, which 
was mouldy, and the straw covering under the boards was very 
wet, and apparently rather tended to increase the depth of 
mouldy material. 
• This amounts to about 1». per ton, chiefly on account of the expense of 
carting. — H. M. J. 
