* ^SU _,e__ *'' .. .. .* v -. .





 Figure 5.-This bunker silo is 16 x 100 feet and has a maximum depth of 7
feet; total capacity is approximately 225 tons of grass silage. The walls are
plastic-lined and the black plastic cover is held in place with discarded tires.

Grass in the preheading stage should not be cut for silage be-
cause of excessive shrinkage and loss of nutrients. Methods of
producing and handling wilted or low-moisture pangolagrass
for silage have not been evaluated in Florida. Prevention of
surface and internal spoilage is an important factor in efficient
production of pangolagrass silage. Covering exposed surfaces
with black polyethylene film, to be held in place by discarded
tires, is effective in reducing spoilage and nutrient loss (Figure
5).
 WINTERKILLING
 The term "winterkilling" is used in this bulletin to charac-
 terize the death of previously viable grass crowns during the
 November to March period. There is a constant process of
 crown death and replacement in pangolagrass sods more than
 one year old, with the death rate being highest during times of
 unfavorable weather. The susceptibility of pangolagrass to
 crown killing during the winter was observed during the first
 10 years of culture in north Florida but was not then recognized
 as an important factor in the peninsular sections of the state.
 There was increasing awareness of this problem during the
 1950's, and a drastic southward extension of damage occurred
 in the extremely cold 1957-58 winter (13).


41110 A,


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