DAIRYING IN PORTO RICO. 13 
the acetic stage when they contain too much moisture. The result- 
ing silage is consequently sour. It is difficult to determine the 
proper stage at which cane tops are in condition for silage making. 
Cane silage has been eaten with relish by the station mules, but the 
cattle have differed in this respect, and none of them show the liking 
for it that they do for corn silage. Experiments in ensiling malo- 
jillo and guinea grasses were unsuccessful. The material is too 
light and does not settle or pack sufficiently unless heavily weighted ; 
neither does it ferment well or develop the aroma that is given off 
by ; ' sweet n silage. 
SOILING. 
In the Tropics, where there is a continuous growing season, grass 
should be cut for feeding purposes while it is in the succulent stage, 
so that the animals will eat the entire stalk as well as the leaves. 
This stage can be determined only by experiment. Cattle will eat 
the larger portion of the grass if it is fed in the stall. "When it is 
plentiful, however, the grass may be fed upon the ground : otherwise, 
the cost of cutting may be more than it is worth. 
CATTLE BARNS AND MILK SHEDS. 
The solid structures used in the North are not needed to house 
cattle in Porto Rico, where the climate is tropical. A stable, suit- 
able for tropical conditions, can be made of wood, but it should be 
built on a foundation of earth that is well drained. Cement floors 
are the best, but those of well-tamped clay are usually satisfactory. 
The roof should slope so that it will shed water readily, and it should 
be of a material that will break the force of the sun's heat. Hand- 
made clay tiles, which can be obtained at a reasonable price in 
almost any section of Porto Rico, are excellent for this purpose. 
They have been made at the station at a cost of $7 per thousand, but 
they can be had at a much less price where old buildings are being 
torn down. When clay tiles are used, the roof should be well sup- 
ported by rather heavy timbers. (PI. IV, Fig. 2.) A thatched 
roof is easy and inexpensive to make, and boards, covered with tar 
paper, are also serviceable for roofing, although they have no lasting 
qualities. An iron roofing will afford protection from rain, but on 
account of its heat-transmitting properties it should not be used for 
stables where cattle are permanently quartered. The stable should 
be walled on the side from which strong winds blow. 
The stalls should be of sufficient number to permit of the animals 
being changed from one to another, so that the earth in each stall 
can be thoroughly dried and cleaned at regular intervals. 
Milking 1 sheds mav also be constructed of wood, but thev should 
have a cement flooring so that thev can readily be flushed. After 
