ESTIMATING THE SOIL CONTENT OF HERBAGE COLLECTED BY FORAGE HARVESTER

A method is described Tor estimating the amount of contamination by soil caused when herbage is collected with a forage harvester. Hand-cut samples of herbage are used as a control. To avoid sub-sampling errors a relatively large sample is used. It is oven-dried and then compressed to facilitate ashing. Acid-insoluble ash ("silica") content is used as a measure of contamination. The Statistical examination of the data is discussed briefly.