The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-10

Mr.. John Wrightson, of the Royal Agri-
cultural College, Cirencester, writes to the
London Times: "Early in June you allowed
me to call attention, through the Times, to
the possibility of storing grass in trenches in
green state. Since then have received a
large number of letters asking for such par
ticulars as would enable the process to be
carried out with success. To such inquiries
have answered that, although | had seen
the 'potted hay greedly eaten by stock, it
had not been my good fortune to witness the
process of preservation carried out practical
ly, but that all agricuturists with whom L
had conversed had described it as exceedingly
simple The details of the process have been
so clearly described by NJ. Goffart, in PAM
phlet npon maize cultivation, published early
in the present year in Paris, that venture 10
make you translation of the passage in
which bis method of proceeding is given. NJ.
Goffart has preserved green rye and maize,
both above ground and in trenches, after a
manner similar to that described by me IN a
former letter, and there seems no reason to
doubt that the same process might be applied
to grass in the country. The passage is as
follows: about sixty metres from my stables
l opened trench upon the bank of an old
pond, in compact clay, perfectly impermeable,
and OF hardness such that pick-aXe was
required to open it up. The trench was ten
metres long, two wide, and two deep.
lined it with masonry of half a brick thick,
and well cemented, and the bottom was also
paved and cemented. The side walls were
made vertical and not inclined, which seems
to me only rational. The pressure is eXer-
csed vertically, and inclined sides appear to
me contrary to the end for which they are in
tended-to facilitate, and not to prevent, the
setting or sinking of the mass. A chaffcut-
ter (by Richmond and Chandler) was placed
upon the edge of the trench, and being
worked by five-horse power engine, filled it
in less than ten hours. The chaffed maize
was spread over the area and trodden down
G0ule) by two persons until it rose about for
ty confines above the level of the masonry.
This raised portion, compressed like the rest
was disposed as long mound and covered
with light coat of long straw, and then
with forty confines of well flattened down
earth. I watched the result for several con-
secutive days, and filled up the assures, so as
to prevent any space forming between the
covering of earth and the preserved maize.
which would be highly injurious. My chaff-
cutter delivers the maize in lengths from one
to two confines. prefer the former length;
it gives to the preserved maize the appear
ance OF compact pulp, reduces it at once to
the least volume possible, and does not per-
NIT, the air to lodge between the small NOR
sells, which it does when they are longer.
The smaller the maize is cut the less it will
sink afterward, and, in consequence, the less
chance is there of its altering. At
tie side of the trench, which inspires me
with the greatest confidence, have excava-
ted less one with vertical sides, but this
one have not lined with masonry, and the
maize rests in contact with the soil. Here I
am less sure of a perfect preservation Those
of your numerous readers who, during this
extraordinary wet season, may wish to try
the experiment of making little sour, or
'potted' hay may find the above details USE
full.