396 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XIV, No. 10 
Upson (14), of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, carried 
on an investigation with alfalfa and Black Amber sorghum cane mixtures 
and with alfalfa alone. His results showed excellent silage when alfalfa 
was mixed with different amounts of Black Amber sorghum cane, but 
when alfalfa was siloed alone, an undesirable product resulted. His 
results on the acidity were expressed as total acidity calculated in terms 
of acetic acid. 
True, Woll, and Dolcini (rj), of the California Experiment Station, 
have reported favorably upon the practice of cutting the first crop of 
alfalfa for silage, for the reason that the crop is generally weedy and makes 
a very inferior hay. Their experience showed that silage made from the 
first cutting of alfalfa which consisted in a large part of foxtail and other 
weeds made good silage. The chemical analyses showed that both 
volatile and nonvolatile acids were present. 
A review of the literature indicates that alfalfa can be made into good 
silage if some material having a high percentage of fermentable carbo¬ 
hydrates is mixed with it. 
The siloing of clover has received more favorable comment. Clark (2), 
of the Montana Experiment Station, has summarized the data on clover 
silage. He reports that at the Agassiz Experiment Station, British 
Columbia, clover is commonly used for silage. He also states that good 
results were obtained with it at Pennsylvania State College. The only 
objection to its use was that a strong odor developed. However, cows 
ate it readily. Reports from Wisconsin show that tests were made 
years ago with the uncut plant with unsatisfactory results. Recently 
more favorable results were obtained when clover was cut in i-inch 
lengths and was well tramped in the silo. 
EXPERIMENTAL WORK 
The work of the Idaho Station on the determination of acids in silage 
was planned in 1915. At that time only com silage was available for 
analysis. The com was siloed in the fall of 1915 in a large concrete silo 
of the monolithic type located upon the University farm. The silage 
had been partially fed to stock before the analysis was begun. 
METHOD OF OBTAINING SAMPLES FOR THE ACID DETERMINATION 
A composite sample was collected from the various parts of the surface 
of the silo. One hundred gm. were weighed out and dried to constant 
weight at ioo° C. for the moisture content. The remaining portion of 
the sample was placed in a hydraulic press and the juice pressed out. 
To 100 gm. of the juice a small quantity of normal sulphuric acid was 
added, and the volatile acids separated from the nonvolatile acid by 
distillation in a current of steam under reduced pressure. 
Four liters of distillate were collected and neutralized with N/10 
barium hydroxid and evaporated to a small volume. The volatile acids 
