Aug. is, 1921 
Bacteriology and Chemistry of Different Silages 
781 
The bacteriological results given in Table VIII are characteristic of 
silage fermentation. The acid-producing organisms predominate. There 
was a variation in number of organisms belonging to the bulgaricus 
group. There were a large number of yeasts at the time of siloing, but 
a decided decrease occurred, and in a few days only a few were present. 
The number of gelatin liquefiers were few at time of storing and gradu¬ 
ally decreased until there were no organisms belonging to this group after 
25 days. Large numbers of organisms belonging to the colon group 
were present for the first day but then decreased rapidly. 
Table IX gives the chemical results which show an increase in acidity, 
amino nitrogen, and ammonia as fermentation progresses. The greatest 
increase occurred during the first three days of fermentation. 
EXPERIMENT v 
The object of this experiment was to find out the effect of 2 per cent 
chloroform upon the bacterial flora and the chemical changes brought 
about by cell respiration. It was also desired to ascertain if silage so 
treated would undergo normal fermentation. (Tables X and XI.) 
Table X gives the bacteriological results of Canada field pea silage 
treated with chloroform. From the results in this table it can be readily 
seen that chloroform was very efficient in inhibiting the growth of the 
microorganisms. After the first day there were few organisms belonging 
to any of the groups. 
The chemical results are given in Table XI and show that there was 
very little increase in acidity. This indicates that the acidity in silage 
is due chiefly to microorganisms and is not due to plant enzyms. There 
was an increase in amino nitrogen and ammonia, showing that the hy¬ 
drolysis of protein was principally due to cell respiration. 
EXPERIMENT vi 
Since an experiment had been planned to inhibit the growth of micro¬ 
organisms, thus allowing cell respiration to play the principal part in 
fermentation, it was decided to perform one in which plant enzyms were 
destroyed, allowing action of only the microorganisms. A series of 
laboratory silos were filled with Canada field peas and oats and sterilized in 
autoclave for three hours. Each silo was then inoculated with fresh silage 
juice containing large numbers of microorganisms. (Tables XII and XIII.) 
The bacteriological results with Canada field pea silage which was 
sterilized and inoculated are given in Table XII. They compare very 
favorably with those with normal silage, there being little difference. 
The first few days there was an increase in the total number of organ¬ 
isms, followed by a decrease. The acid-producing organisms consti¬ 
tuted the main flora, and the number of these organisms decreased with 
the age of the silage. The number of organisms belonging to the colon 
group, yeast, and protein digesters decreased rapidly and after a few days 
disappeared. The number of organisms belonging to the bulgaricus 
group increased for the first five days and then gradually decreased. 
