GUTTING SILAGE CORN 163 



foot can be stored; the silage packs tighter and 

 loss is prevented at the surface when feeding ; and 

 when closely tramped against the wall, air is 

 excluded and the silage keeps better than when 

 it is shallow. 



The quantity of silage that may be stored in a 

 silo increases in a higher ratio than the depth 

 increases; a silo thirty- six feet deep will store 

 nearly five times as much as one twelve feet deep. 



Cutting corn for the silo may be done either by 

 hand or by the "self-binder." When the crop is 

 large enough, the latter is preferable, because a 

 team may do the cutting late in the afternoon or 

 early morning, and thus reduce the number of men 

 needed. Besides, the binding of the corn makes 

 it much easier to handle, both in loading and in 

 feeding. There are a number of excellent silage 

 cutters. The mistake commonly made by farmers 

 is in getting those that are too small ; it is better 

 to have a cutter a little larger than is needed. 

 Few should have cutting blades less than fourteen 

 inches long. It is also very important that the 

 power to drive the cutter should be considerably 

 in excess of its guaranteed capacity; especially is 

 this the case when blowers are used, instead of 

 carriers, as it is important to have not only a high 

 speed but a steady power. 



After the silo is filled, the top should be 

 covered with earth or other material, which will 



