CHEAP WAY OF MAKING SILAGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 2

CHEAP WAY OF MAKING SILAGE.

A PARMER'S QUERY. R. J. C. (Carterton) asks, "Could you, j through your columns, inform mo of the , least expensive way of malting silago. In 3 this district, in some places, the ox-oyo daisj f is very troublesome, and if tho herbage or r which this noxious weed grows were made 1 into silago, it would, I think, effectually dos stroy all its germinating powers." t This is only one of many advantages thai i attach to silago; and the groen method ol f preserving crops will become more general a when tho farmers have ceased to regard it i as a risky way of putting up a crop. The s modern tendency in tho modo of making a silage is for simplicity. Tho principle under--3 lying the process is that green fodder may bo prosorved in stacks provided there is prossure to sufficiently exclude air. _ If pressure J is applied immediately on stacking, " sour " y silago results, but if a little time is allowed, „ sucE as would happou if the building of the

stack were spread over a number of dayß, tho accoss of a certain amount of air causes oxidation and heating, and results, it not permitted to go too far, in "sweet" silage. The standard rule in England is to build in stages, and finally apply pressure of from 100 to 2001bs. per square foot to regulate the temperature. Tho temperature must not rise above IGO degrees. The quality of silage varies with tho temperaturu as follows:— Silage. Under 120 degrees ... Sour. 120 to 130 ~ ... x... Slightly acid. 130 to.l'lo ~ Sweet green. 140 to 160 ~ Sweot brown. Over 160 „ Burnt. The best silage is made at about 130 degrees, when it becomes neither distinctly sweet nor sour. Sour silage keeps better than sweot when oponed out. For a simplo method, however, the silage may be stacked in stages, and finally weighted on top; by a hayrick. 01V any other heavy material at hand. The- first day's , carting may give a heap five feet high, but it will sink to about three feet during the night. Tho second day's carting may. bring it up to seven or eight feet, but it consolidates again during the night, doing its own pressure. In the end, somo weight 'as sug- ' gosted should bo applied on top. Very great bonefit would result if the Department' of Agriculture wore to place a few expert silagemakers at tho disposal of farmers m different parts this season, to supervise tho making of. , silage stacks.. This would give confidence! and result in stock being hotter fed nexC winter. The man who makes silage has na . fear of weather, for pouring rain does not injure tho material.