at Home and Abroad. 
193 
ing of neatly fitting planks and cross-pieces ; (2) bran, which, 
however, will not be used another year, as it has been found 
unnecessary ; and (3) weights consisting partly of iron and 
partly of old gasoline boxes filled with gravel, the total weight 
being stated not to exceed about 70 lbs. per square foot. It 
should be added that Lord Tollemache has no home farm 
properly so called, as he only keeps in hand a few fields of 
grass to enable him to obtain milk, cream, and butter for his 
household. His silos are merely experiments, and he is so well 
satisfied with their success that he proposes to build them for 
his tenants if they will pay 5 per cent, on the outlay in the 
event of their being successful, but nothing at all if they should 
be unsuccessful. Lord Tollemache, it will be observed, regards 
his position and duties as a landlord very seriously. 
Two samples of Peckforton silage had been sent to the 
Society's Laboratory for analysis previous to my visit. One 
sent on December 13th, 1883, contained 71'6 per cent, of water, 
and did not keep well ; but the second, which was sent on 
December 27th, and contained 73'4 per cent, of water, kept 
better than the first, although it also went mouldy very soon. 
With special reference to the cost of filling a silo, I may 
give a few further examples, as this is a point of primary 
importance. The Duke of Sutherland uses the ground floor of 
an old malt house as two silos, separated by a brick partition. 
Each silo is 19 feet 6 inches long, 9 feet 6 inches wide, and 
12 feet deep. The total acreage of meadow-grass cut and pitted 
was 6 acres 1 rood 8 perches, and the silos were first filled on 
June 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, No. 1 taking in two days 23 tons 
8 cwt. 2 qrs., and iSo. 2 in one day 19 tons 2 cwt. They were 
refilled on June 30th with 14 tons 19 cwt., and finally, ori 
July 12th, with 13 tons 15 cwt. 2 qrs., making a total of 71 tons 
5 cwt. The cost of the work was as follows : — 
£ s. d. 
Mowing 6 acres 1 rood 8 perches, at 9s. per acre .. 2 16 3 
Filling silo, including filluig bags of sand .. ,. 6 18 4 
Team work 4 4 0 
Straw to cover silo, 4 cwts. at 4s 0 16 0 
Salt 0 10 
Total .. .. £14 15 7 
Being rather less than 4s. 3c?. per ton of silage. 
The weighting material consists of 200 bags filled with sand, 
and weighing from 180 to 190 lbs. each ; they cost M. each, 
making a total of 3Z. 6s. M. in addition to the filling, which is 
charged for above. As, however, the bags may not last more 
than a year, the cost should be added to that of labour ; this 
would make the total cost of the silage 5s. Id. per ton. 
VOL. XX. — S. S. O 
