Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/201

* SIKHS. 161 SILAGE. which teaches that a Sikh is to worship one God, to eschew superstition, and to practice strict mo- rality, but equally is to live by the sword. Goviud was assassinated in 1708. His successor Banda, after three cruel massacres of his Mogul oppo- nents, was himself slain in 1716. After his death the government of the Khalsa passed into the hand of the Akalis. military zealots who in 1764 had become the rulers of the Punjab. In the early part of the nineteenth century Eanjit Singh (q.v.) built up a powerful Sikh monarcliy, which in addition to the Punjab embraced Kashmir, and which liecame a formidable neighbor to the r>ritish. Six .years after his death (1839) the British engaged in the First Sikh War ( 1845-46) , in which their forces were led to victory by Sir Hugh Gough (q.v.), and which secured to the East India Company the possession of a great portion of the Sikh territory. The Second Sikh War (1848-4!!), in which Sir Hugh Gough again commaniled the British forces, terminated in the submission of the Sikhs, and was followed by the annexation of the Punjab to British India. The Khalsa ceased to exist. The Sikhs are now divided into difl'erent religious orders, such as the Udasis. who renounce the Granth, the 'Sons of Xanak,' the Suthres, 'pure,' and the Divine Sadhs, or 'luad saints.' According to the census of 1901 there were then 2,10.5.208 Sikhs in India, I.5I7.019 being in the Punjab. Consult: Malcolm. Sketch of the Sikhs (London, 1812) ; Cunningham, History of the Sikhs (ib.. 1849) : Trumpp. The Adi Gninth or the Holif Scriptures of the Sikhs, translated from the original Ourmukhi (ib., 1877) : id.. Die Ileliriion der Sikhs (Leipzig, 1881); Gough and Innes, The Sikhs and the Sikh Wars (London, 1897). SI-KIANG, seTcyang', or West River. The most im])ovtant river of Southwestern China. It rises in tlic Province of Yunnan near Xan-ning Hien (or Kii-ching-fu), flows through a general- ly mountainous country in a tortuous course through Yun-nan, Kwang-si, and Kwang-tung for 1650 miles to the South Sea (Map: China, D 7). It receives many tributaries, chiefly from the right, the most important being the Yii-kiang or Melancholy River. Near Sam-shui (q.v.) the stream divides, the smaller portion flowing east and, after receiving the waters of the Pe-kiang- or Xorth River, being known as the Chu-kiang or Pearl River, on which the city of Canton is situ- ated. The main body of the waters of the Si- kiang continues its course west of the Chu-kiang delta, breaking up into several channels. The estuary is 75 miles wide. The upper courses are obstructed by many rapids. From Sam-shui to Wu-chow it is navigable for vessels driiwing not more than eight feet, while lower down the largest vessels may float. SIKKIM or SIKHIM, sik'Im. A native State in the northeast of India, feudatory to Ben- gal. It is bounded on the north and northeast by Tibet, on the west bv Nepal, and on the south- east by Bhutan (^Map: India, E 3). Area, 2818 square miles; population, in 1891, 30,458; in 1901, 59.000. It is on the southern slope of the Himalaya range, Kunchinjinga in the north hav- ing an altitude of 28,000 feet. It is drained into the Brahmaputra by the Tista. There are valuable forests of oak, walnut, chestnut, and other trees. Cop|)er is mined, rice, maize, millet, cotton, tea, oranges, and other fruits are cul- tivated, ajid there is an increasing trade import- ing cotton piece goods and tobacco, and export- ing grain and general agricultural produce. The natives are of Mongolian origin: tlicir language is a Tibetan dialect and their religion Lamaism; the}' call themselves Rong, but are known to the Gurkhas as Lepchas. Sikkim was con- quered by the Gurkhas in 1789, but after the Nepal war in 1814 the inde])endence of the Raja of Sikkim was guaranteed for bis coopera- tion with the British. He ceded Darjiling to the British in 1830, and opened his territory to their trade in 1861. His succes.sor, opposing the Indian Government, was kept under surveillance in India, but was reinstated in 1895, with a British ollicer as resident and adviser. In 1889 the Chinese by treaty recognized the British protectorate over Sikkim. Capital, Tumlung. SILAGE (from silo, Sp. silo, silo, from Lat. sirus, from Gk. (Jipoc, siros, aei/idc, seiros, pit for corn), or Ensilage. A general name applied to green crops packed and preserved under pressure in specially constructed chambers (silos) or in stacks (stack silos), in each of which they un- dergo fermentation. The preservation of green crops in silos possibly commenced about the year 1800, and in the United States about 1875, since when the use of silage has greatly extended. The first silos made in the United .States were of stone or brick, thick- walled and lined with a smooth coat of cement. Since these were ex- pensive, wooden silos were tried, and were found to give satisfactory results at much less cost. Silos should be deep with smooth walls, with as few corners as possible, preferably round or square, and to be more efficient should be as near- ly air-tight as practicable. If made of wood the walls may be covered with gas tar. A cubic foot of silage under average condi- tions will weigh 35 to 40 pounds. Ordinarily, this amount with other food is enough for one cow's daily ration, and at this rate one cow will consume about 4 tons in 200 days. Allowing for waste and emergency conditions, 50 tons is con- sidered necessary for a herd of 10 cows for 200 days. For a round silo, 30 feet deep. King gives the following dimensions for herds of different sizes, estimating 5 square feet of surface silage for 1 cow: Feet 30 cows, l.'^O square feet, inside diameter silo 14 IG 18 19% 21V4 ■' '■ " 24 25)4 The ])lants most available for silage in the United States are Indian corn, red clover, rye, oats, wheat, sorghum, the millets, alfalfa, soy beans, and cow-peas. Corn is considered most satisfactory. The entire plant should be en- siled, the best time to cut this and other crops being at maturity before the leaves turn brown or the water content begins to diminish. Corn fodder should he cut into pieces one or two inches long when the silo is filled, otherwise the stalks do not pack closely and are not convenient to handle. Silage should be well distributed and well packed along the sides and in the corners. If cut in a very dry season and not very juicy, 40 ' • 200 .■iO • ' 250 60 ■ ' 300 70 • • 3.50 80 ■ ■ 400 90 • ■ 450 too ■ '600