On the Chemistry of Ensilage. 
497 
Sewage-grass on an average contains from 82 to 84 per cent, 
of moisture ; it is evident, therefore, that Mr. Taylor must have 
allowed his Italian rye-grass to get dead ripe before pitting it. 
In consequence of this, the silage got unusually dry. The 
sample taken from the middle of the silo had a brown colour, an 
aromatic smell, resembling that of brown hay, and was very 
acid to the taste. It will be seen that it contained over 1 per 
cent, of total acids, most of which consisted of butyric and 
acetic acids, resembling in this respect the maize-silage which 
had been sent to me from Canada, and was distinguished for its 
remarkable keeping qualities. Both the Canadian maize and 
the sewage Italian rye-grass appear to have undergone a thorough 
fermentation, resulting in the production of much butyric and 
acetic acid, which probably accounts for the excellent keeping 
qualities of these two samples. It certainly is a remarkable 
fact that the silage made from sewaged Italian rye-grass, in a 
large wide-mouthed bottle, placed in the Laboratory last January, 
up to the present date (August 9th), and during unusually hot 
summer weather, has remained perfectly free from mould, and 
is in all respects as sound as it was in January. 
23. Silage made hy Mr. W. Stobart, Pepper Arden, North- 
allerton. — A large proportion of the materials in Mr. Stobart's 
silos was rough grass from under trees, from roadside-cuttings, 
and odds and ends of every description from nooks and corners 
in the park. 
A sample received on the 21st of August, 1883, had the 
following composition : — 
Water 76-01 
Soluble albuminous compounds *91 
Insoluble albuminous compounds 1 • 78 
Soluble carbo-hydrates 2*87 
Crude fibre 15-82 
Soluble mineral matters (ash) 1'63 
Insoluble mineral matters (ash) -98 
100-00 
Total nitrogen ' .. -43 
Volatile acids (calculated as acetic acid) . . -19 
Xon- volatile acids (Itictic acid) 1-24 
This silage, which was strongly acid, kept very well. It 
contained 1^ per cent, of lactic, but only -19 of volatile acids. 
Mr. Stobart's silos are heavily weighted, and provided with 
taps at the bottom, from which juice is drawn oflF from time to 
time and used for the pigs, who take it greedily. A specimen 
of the drainage from one of Mr. Stobart's silos had a specific 
gravity of 1-022, and contained per imperial gallon — 
