at Home and Abroad. 
213 
I put about 400 k. (8 cwt.) into one silo ; the sack of salt is lowered into it, 
and one of the women who is accustomed to do this work, takes about 
10 litres (about 9 quarts) from the sack ; she sows this salt in perambulating 
the silo, and recommences the process at the end of a certain time. 
I try, as far as possible, to have the silo tilled at one operation, and as 
quickly as I can. I have therefore five women sent into the silo, one of 
whom sends to the bottom the chopped material, and another arranges and 
makes it equal, the other three walk about, treading it principally along the 
walls, and distributing the salt and cavings. By these means I believe I 
avoid mouldiness, and obtain a perfect and regular fermentation. The upper 
surface, where it is pitted at intervals, unless it is weighted each time, comes 
in contact with the air, which penetrates it more or less, and, by contact with 
the hot gases which rise from the mass, produces rapidly at the somewhat 
great depth of 20 to 25 centimetres (8 to 10 inches) cryptogaraic plants 
(mould) which are injurious to cattle. I have proved this each time that an 
accident to the machine has happened ; once we had to stop for three or four 
days, and a whitish layer showed itself along the whole extent of the silo. 
In a word, the same phenomenon is produced as that which causes the crust 
of mouldiness which is to be found at the top part of a silo when it is opened. 
My silos have perfectly vertical walls, and the angles are rounded : each 
has the number of planks intended to entirely cover it. The silo filled, the 
surface is covered with sawdust or cavings : on this cushion, for preventing 
the ingress of the atmosphere, planks 1 m. 98 (about 2 yards) long and 
25 cent. (10 inches) broad, are placed alongside each other, so as to join as 
much as possible. They are placed broadwise: the end-planks are rounded to 
the size and shape of the silo. I then put another flooring, placed length- 
ways, of small planks, of from 75 c. to 80 c. long (30 to 32 inches), to cover 
thus three of the planks placed broadwise. There are three longitudinal lines 
of these small planks, one in the middle, and one along each wall : these three 
lines of planks support the weights, which consist of stones, and distribute the 
pressure equally over all the rest (Fig. 15, p. 216, vi.). The outside planks are 
more heavily loaded than those in the middle, as the air has more tendency to 
pass along the walls. This " modus operandi " has the advantage of allowing 
two or three planks at each time to be taken off : i.e., exposing only a quantity 
sufficient for the consumption of three or four days. I estimate the pressure 
of the stones at 500 kil. the square metre (about 100 lbs. per square foot). 
By the system above described the pressure is continuous, as the planks 
can be made to slide easily along the walls, and follow the subsidence of 
the pressed mass : the pressure only ceases when the last cut of fodder 
from the silo is given to the cattle. This mode of proceeding has ap- 
peared to me preferable to the use of earth and other means, as the removal 
of the stones, &c., is easy and rapid, and the pressure remains the same. I 
cannot reply with precision to your question as to the weight of crops 
put in and taken out. I think the weight must have varied very little, as 
the humidity appeared similar at the time of opening the silo to what it was 
when the crops were chopped and pitted. As to the cost of filling and 
emptying the silo, I may say that I bargained for the whole work by the 
piece, viz., harvesting, loading the carts, cutting, &c., in silo, at 70 francs 
(21. 16s.) per hectare (2J acres, and therefore about 22s. per acre). I fur- 
nished two horses and a mowing-machine, also two horses and carts. It can, 
however, be done cheaper ; six men and four women are suiBcient for the 
maize-mowing ; women collect it and put it into sheaves, which the men bind. 
Two men are necessary to load the waggons ; at the silo three men are 
necessary to supply the man who feeds the maize-cutter ; finally, there are 
five women in the silo : imder these conditions a hectare of maize can be cut 
and mown per day. The men's wages being 3 f. 50 c. each (2s. 9^-), and that 
of the women 1 f. 50 c, (Is. 2\d.) each, the total for labour is 55 fr. 50 c. 
^2Z. 4s. 4c?.) To this must be added the cost of the horses, the wages of the 
