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MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



in September and caught the rain all winter. His silage is very good. 

 He says the only use there is for a roof is to keep the snow out while it 

 is being fed from ; rain cannot harm it. 



Mr. H. B. Gurler of DeKalb, 111., has one silo in the pasture which 

 he has used for eight years without any roof. It is 37 feet in diameter. 



The average rainfall in this part of Illinois is 36 inches, yet the 

 silage from this silo is as good as that from his other five silos that have 

 roofs. The water benefits by forcing the air out and packing the con- 

 tents, and thus preventing decay of the silage. 



For best results, cut the corn when it is pretty well matured, even 

 to the point of beginning to dry, then add a lot of water while filling. 

 When in doubt whether to use water, use it; there seems to be no dan- 

 ger of getting too much water. 



Tramping the Silage. — Even much tramping by heavy men will not 

 do any particular good except around close to the wall, where it should be 

 walked on well. The surface of the silage while being filled should be 

 concave, low in the center and high about the sides. This done, the silage 

 will not settle away from the walls. It is just the reverse process to 

 stacking hay. Keep the corn chunks well mixed with the lighter stuff, 

 so that at feeding time the animals fed will receive a uniform ration. 



Necessary Machinery. — The silage cutter with carrier or blower to 

 elevate the cut corn to the silo and an engine to run it are needed. It 

 does not pay to "fiddle" around with a small cutter. Get one with knives 

 14 to 18 inches long, then provide power to make it go. Those who 

 have used both carrier and blower to elevate the cut corn prefer the 

 blower, it generally saves stopping to fix the carrier. The blower will 

 not clog if the cutter is placed close to the silo, so that the wind is almost 

 directly under the stufif carried. The following approximate figures may 

 be of value : 



WITH SELF-FEEDER ATTACHMENT. 



