ELEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 585 



such as the leaves at the other side. The corn should he uniformly packed 

 or tramped in all parts of the silo. This is necessary to insure a good qual- 

 ity of silage. The majority of the silo owners prefer having the surface of 

 the silage saucer shaped, about two feet higher at the sides than in the 

 center for the reason that the center where the corn drops and the men 

 usually stand gets solid and hard and does not settle afterwards as much as 

 the sides. (This is especially true of those silos filled without some form 

 of a distributing device.) If the sides are constantly kept about two feet 

 higher than the center and well trod or tramped when the silo is full, the 

 silage is wedged tightly against the sides and the heat of fermentation re- 

 tained, thus killing the gernis of mold. One reason why silage molds more 

 at the sides than in the center is that it is not packed closely enough 

 against the sides to prevent air from reaching the heated silage, thus 

 furnishing mold making conditions. 



There are several patented distributing devices on the market. The ma- 

 jority of these are very helpful in filling the silo. A very simple and cheap 

 device may be made by sewing together a number of sacks (with the ends 

 cut out) making a tube. This is attached to the end of the blowpipe and 

 manipulated by a man inside of the silo. In this way the corn can be evenly 

 dstributed over the entire surface of the silo. The packing of the corn is an 

 important point. True, in time, it will settle of its own accord but more corn 

 can be put in a silo and much better silage made when the packing is given 

 careful attention. Tramping on the part of the men is helpful. The best 

 way, however, is to use two good reliable men with cement tampers. The 

 best silage the writer has ever seen was in a silo which had been packed 

 by cement tampers. There was not a particle of waste after a few inches 

 on the top had been removed. 



ADDING WATER DURING FILLING. 



Ordinarily corn cut at the proper time does not need any water added to 

 make good silage. There are times, however, when it is necessary to add 

 water to the corn in filling the silo. The corn in the silo at the time of 

 filling should feel moist; if not moist, water should be added. Under any 

 of the following conditions water should be added to the corn when filling 

 the silo: First, when the corn is too ripe, and the leaves and part of the 

 stalks are dried out to such an extent that they will not pack well. Second, 

 when the corn is severely frozen before it has reached the proper degree 

 of maturity, liberating the moisture and leaving the leaves and stems dry. 

 Third, when refilling the silo late in the fall with shocked corn it is always 

 necessary to add water. 



There are two ways to add the water. First, put a hose in the silo and 

 thoroughly saturate the dry portions especially around the walls. Second, 

 where the blower cutter is used, run an inch stream of water into the 

 blower when it is at work. This will add a sufficient amount of water to 

 insure good results. 



FILLING CRACKS AND AIR SPACES IN SILO. 



The silo should be air tight. Any crack or space which lets in the air will 

 cause more or less moldy silage. These troubles in wooden silos may be 

 avoided at filling time by having a pail of soft clay at hand; as the silo 



