492 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



and may be easily harvested. It can be cut with a binder, hauled to the 

 silo en wagons, put through a cutter and delivered into the silo by meaua 

 of a blower, a combined machine run by an engine. 



Being cut in short lengths usually fiom V:> to % inches (y--inch pre- 

 fered) it packs closely, excluding the air from the mass, a featuie very 

 favorable to its good keeping. Another important point is that the time 

 of harvesting it for the silo comes in the fall of the year usually in this 

 latitude about the 10th of September and does not interfere with other 

 crops in their making or harvesting. Sometimes it upsets a picnic or 

 county fair, but a fellow never misses that in February, piling out the 

 silage, while his neighbor who went perhaps to pulling corn shocks out 

 of the snow. 



However, it is for these reasons that the corn plant is now universally 

 used for silage purposes. 



Experience has taught that it makes the best silage if put in the silo 

 when the ears are well glazed and about one-half or more of the leaves are 

 yellow; this indicating the close approach to maturity and the greatest 

 development of sugar content in the stalk. 



We have found that the fellow who fills his silo last usually has the 

 best silage if it is not frosted. Immature corn put in the silo comes out 

 black and sour and makes poor silage. The best silage may be made 

 from the best corn because of a larger proportion of grain; but usually it 

 is preferred to plant thickly, seeming thereby a better grade of forage 

 and more of it per acre, the grain content then being sufficient for all 

 practical purposes. 



Regarding the loss of the top and bottom of the silo: This may be 

 obviated by a libeial use of straw. Our loss at the top this year did not 

 exceed a wagon box full. Our method was to put enough straw through 

 the cutter to cover the silage some 20 inches or more. At the same time 

 pouring a little stream of water into the side of the blower. After this 

 was done, by means of a pulley rope and pail we poured water on top 

 until all the straw was thoroughly soaked. We tramped the top, especially 

 the sides, once each day for four or five days and then never allowed 

 anyone to set foot on top again till the morning we opened to feed. 



While filling the silo we put our best man in the silo to tramp the 

 sides and manage the distributor pipe, a convenience we have found to 

 be well worth its cost. 



When a good s"lo is rightly filled with corn cut just as it reaches the 

 stage of maturity we have a feeding proposition worth the consideration 

 of any stock man. We have in it a nutritious, palatable, easily digested 

 ration, available at any season of the year, winter, dry summer, dry fall — 

 any time; will keep until next year or year after. One case is reported of 

 good silage seven years old. 



In the silo we have an economical storage of feed. A certain amount of 

 dry matter or food nutrient in the form of silage in the silo occupies from 

 one-third to one-half less space than the same amount of dry matter or 

 food nutrients in the form of hay in the barn. 



In comparison with other feeds: silage vs. hay — three tons of silage ii 

 equal in feeding value to one ton of good hay, the juice, or water contents. 



