38 
Effort of the Director of the 
than has occurred under most careful systems of protection. The 
acidity of the contents has seemed no more pronounced than that 
which is usually observed in silo contents at the period of use. 
The lesson of trials seems to be, that the condition requisite for the 
successful silo is exclusion of the air, and the presence of sufficient 
moisture. The means for obtaining this condition may be various, but 
these trials indicate that the weight of the upper layers of the material 
is sufficient to furnish the compression required for the successful 
preservation of the material below it, and as this compression is suf- 
ficiently accomplished before putrefactive fermentation can occur, 
there is but comparative slight loss through decay of the upper por- 
tion, while the actual surface exposed to the air becomes rather dry, 
and in a measure protective. It is to be noted that the upper layer, 
whose destruction protects the remainder, becomes decomposed only. 
It may strongly resemble cow dung in physical appearance, but has no 
putrefactive smell, at the most but that of wet and decaying wood. 
Mildew and browning in ensilage does not render it unpalatable to 
cattle; indeed, as in dried fodder corn, it appears to act as a relish. 
Hence, as at present we view the proposition, the only loss in our silage 
is that thin layer near the surface which is absolutely rotten, and this 
forms but a small percentage of the mass. As this proportion must 
vary in its percentage to the total contents according to the capacity 
and the shape of the silo, it is useless to figure it for a given case. 
From the experience gained at the station, we must believe that the 
true province of ensilage is to supplement other foods, and to serve as 
a condimental food, or as an appetizer. For this purpose the acid has 
been found, in the one careful trial made, to be beneficial. It is prob- 
ably true that the amount which shall rationally constitute a portion of 
the daily ration, depends upon the amount of acid present, the less the 
acid the larger the amount which may be judiciously fed. We have 
never seen in corn silage any samples which have been free from 
acidity. We have noted that acidity is less in that portion of the silo 
which has been the moister at the time of filling, as the juices com- 
pressed from the material in filling have aided to exclude the air from 
the interstices. These observations may serve as guides for methods 
to be practiced in the preservation and expending of silage. 
