Feeding Stuffs. 



131 



feeding value, and much of their nitrogen-free extract is in the 

 form of pentosans. (3, 82) 



153. Shrinkage of ear corn. While the amount of water in old 

 corn varies but little from 12 per ct., the Iowa Station 1 found as 

 high as 36 per ct. in freshly husked ear corn. Corn carrying 20 

 per ct. or more of water will not usually keep if stored in any con- 

 siderable quantity. Studies were conducted by the Kansas Sta- 

 tion 2 with 3 lots of ear corn fairly dry when cribbed, by the Illinois 

 Station 3 with 2 cribs, each containing 20,000 Ibs., and by the Iowa 

 Station 4 with 4 varieties. The results are given in the table : 



Shrinkage of cribbed dent corn. 



The amount of shrinkage with ear corn depends upon the water 

 content and maturity when husked, and the rate of shrinkage upon 

 the variety, the maturity of the grain, and the air humidity. 5 When 

 the water content of ear corn falls to 12 per ct., shrinkage prac- 

 tically ceases. The shrinkage in weight of ear corn is largely in 

 the cobs, which usually form about one-fourth of the weight of 

 the ears at husking and one-fifth of their cured weight. Twisting 

 the ears slightly will fairly indicate the moisture contained. Loose 

 grained, " sappy " ears carry 20 per ct. or more of water, while 

 solid ones usually contain not much over 12 per ct. Seventy Ibs. 

 of dry dent corn of good varieties will make one bushel or 56 Ibs. 

 of shelled corn, but in early fall the buyers frequently demand 

 75 or 80 Ibs., according to the estimated water content. Corn is 

 stored mostly on the husked ear at the North, but at the South 

 the husks are left on the ears because of the weevil, a beetle that 

 lives in the kernels unless they are protected. Shelled corn does 

 not keep well in bulk, especially in summer, and so the corn is 

 always held in ear form as long as possible. 



154. Soft corn. Corn frosted before the grains mature contains 

 too much water for storage or shipment, and can be best utilized 



1 Bui. 77. 



2 Bui. 144. 



3 Bui. 113. 



4 Bnl. 77. 



r> Iowa Expt. Sta., Bui. 77. 



