236 
Report on the Practice of Ensilage, 
of second-cut clover, sent me b v M. de Chezelles. This had been 
pitted whole in consequence of an accident to the chaff-cutter ; 
but it was surrounded by a mass of silage that had been chopped 
before having been pitted. Salt has been very generally mixed 
with pitted fodder, but it will have been seen that most of my 
correspondents have come to the conclusion that it is unneces- 
sary, and some even assert that it is deleterious. If it be desired 
simply to make silage a convenient means of giving salt to live- 
stock, I do not see much objection to adding a little from time 
to time as the fodder is pitted, provided always that the green- 
stuff is dry outside and not too succulent. But if water of any 
kind or in any combination is in excess, my impression is that 
the addition of salt will injure the quality of the silage. 
Putting in the Silo. — The transfer of the crops from the field 
into the silo are, as already stated, well-known agricultural 
operations, except in those cases where the crops have not only 
to be chopped, but also elevated ; that is to say, when the silo 
is entirely, or to a considerable extent, above ground. There 
is not the least difficulty when an elevating chaff-cutter is used, 
but where such a machine is not upon the farm, or cannot be 
hired, it is usual to fix the chaff-cutter on a level with the 
upper rim of the silo, and to feed the cutter from a temporarv 
platform placed for the purpose. Considering the importance — 
always growing — of the system of ensilage, it is to be hoped that 
means may be devised for converting ordinary chaff-cutters into 
elevating or non-elevating machines at will, by taking them out 
of boxes furnished with elevator-spouts, and putting them in again, 
as may be required ; as well as by putting paddles on the rim of 
the fly-wheel, and taking them off again, as is done with the 
biting-irons on the wheels of agricultural locomotive engines. 
Treading, in itself, is a very important part of the process of 
filling, and, as a general rule, I may observe that the more 
complete the treading the less weighting is necessary. I look 
upon this matter as of cardinal importance, and, although it has 
been several times mentioned by previous writers as essential, 
I doubt whether its absolute necessity has hitherto been com- 
pletely recognized by many persons. When silos are filled, as 
a rule a certain quantity of material is put into them, and 
when convenient it is spread about and trodden, especially 
round the sides, in a more or less perfunctory manner. But 
this is, in my judgment, by no means sufficient. The treading 
should go on pari passu with the filling, almost inch by inch ; and 
afterwards it Avill not then be necessary to squeeze the juice 
out of the fodder by excessive weighting continued over a long 
period. In the foregoing pages it is recorded what means 
are adopted by the best " cnsilagers " (if it is admissible to coin 
the word) to secure the proper treading of their pitted fodder. 
