258 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



as good, but that is what we are using and lind it perfectly satis- 

 factory. 



Mr. Taylor: What is the expense of the machine? 



Answer: Retail price $190, but they guarantee they will put 

 twenty tons of corn an hour into a silo thirty feet high with 

 twelve horse-power. They make a smaller size machine but the 

 price of it I can not tell you. 



Question : How many horse-power ? 



.\nswer : Twelve horse-power. 



Question : How many teams would tha^ require ? 



Answer: It depends altogether on how far you have to haul 

 it. We have the field where we raise the corn for silage right 

 close to the barn. We have twenty acres there, and one year put 

 one half in corn and the other half in some small grain. In that 

 way we have ten acres, use what we want for the silo, cut the 

 rest and feed it dry. Last year we used sixteen acres, but mind 

 you we never ran that machine, or at least only a few moments 

 at a time to the height of its capacity, simply because it is al- 

 most impossible to get the corn into the machine unless your 

 men are experts. It takes practice tO' get twenty tons of corn an 

 hour into a machine, but it can be done. 



Question : Cut the corn with a corn cutter ? 



Answer: Yes. We always start our corn binder the day be- 

 fore we commence to fill the silo.- 



Question : What stage is the corn in ? 



Answer : A few years ago they thought the greener the corn 

 was put in the better ; but experience has demonstrated that the 

 nearer maturity you can put it in the better silage you will get, 

 the less acidity will develop. 



]\Ir. Carpexte:r : You do not mean until the corn gets dry and 

 hard? 



Answer : No, just so it is a little damp. 



Question : Dou you advise to fill your silo as soon as possible, 

 that is, I mean would you fill it as quickly as you could ? 



Answer : This year we began at noon ; it rained all the fore- 

 noon. We began at noon and finished the next dav by noon. 



