Notes on the Composition of some Samples of Silage. 385 
No salt was used, and the grass was not cut up at all. No 
covering boards were put on between the grass and the bricks 
with which it was weighted. 
Since January 16th nine head of cattle have been fed on it 
alone (except that they have been occasionally turned out for a 
few hours on very fine days). Mr. Smith states that he has 
never seen them in better condition than at present, and that 
they seem to be very fond of the silage. The silo was 7 feet 
below the ground and 5 feet above. No mould was found at 
the sides, and not more than 1 inch at the top. The total 
cost of the silo was 13/. lOs., and the weight of its contents 
14 tons. 
Description of Mr. EarWs Silo at Hayton, near Liverpool. 
" My Lascelles Portable Silo is 15 feet by 12 feet, and 10 feet deep. It is 
a simple woodeu framework, five uprights on each side, and four at each end, 
all 4 in. by -4 in. let into timbers running along the top and bottom of the 
same side. The corners top and bottom are all braced with iron, bolted on, 
and an iron rod runs across the silo both top and bottom. On the inside of 
the wooden frame are screwed concrete slabs, 3 feet by 2 feet by 1^ inches 
thick, four screws in each. The inside of the slabs is perfectly smooth. The 
silo stands on the stone floor of a large barn. After filling it, planks 2 in. 
thick and 5 in. wide were put on edge to edge, and weighted with 91 tons of 
ship's ballast. 
" The crop was the best second-crop clover and rye-grass, chopped up by 
steam, and put in in the state in which it came from the field, which was 
generally wet. It was well trampled down, especially along the edges, and 
29 tons filled the silo, eight half-days being occupied in doing so, and then 
the silo was finally closed. This was on September 17th. It was opened on 
January 4th. W e found 4 in. of mould on the top and a little at the sides. 
No liquid had escaped from the bottom, and there was no drainage. 
" 1 allow my six Devon milking cows 50 lbs. each per day, but find they 
cannot get through it, and do not eat more than 44 lbs. They have a little 
corn and bran given also, and we began giving a little long hay at night, but 
they will not touch it now, and tread it underfoot. 
" They give a good quart apiece of milk more on silage than on hay and 
turnips, and the butter is more the colour of grass fed. 
" 1 sent a sample of silage to the ' Field,' and the editor writes that ' it 
was in excellent condition and very pleasant in flavour ; ' and in this most of 
the farmers present at the opening agreed. 
" The silo cost in London ready to put together .. £16 0 0 
Carriage to Hayton ,. .. .. .. .. 5 0 0 
Cost of planks to cover with . . . . . . . . 2 0 0 
Cost of erecting .. ,, .. .. .. .. 10 0 
£24 0 0 
" The iron ballast cost 47s. per ton. The cost of chopping and putting the 
grass into the silo did not exceed 2s. 6c?. per ton. Some of the clover was 
bought at the ^hen market price of 23s. per ton. 
" The grass sunk iu the silo 2 feet 6 inches the first month, and nothing 
afterwards. 
VOL. XX. — S. S. 2 C 
