284 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



Cutting Corn for Silage. The composition of 

 corn undergo.es rapid changes from the tasseling period 

 until maturity. The dry matter shows an increase 

 from the time the corn is in tassel until the kernels 

 are dented. Tasseled corn has only one-fifth as 

 much dry matter as mature corn. It is owing to 

 such changes that corn must be cut at the proper 

 stage if it is to make the best silage. If cut too 

 green, the silage will sour more easily, and will not 

 possess the fullest food value. Immature corn is 

 often the cause of the complaints that silage makes 

 undesirable milk. If cut too ripe, the desired succu- 

 lence is lost. The proper stage for cutting is when 

 the lower leaves have commenced to fire and brown, 

 yet when the greater part of the leaves are still 

 green. The kernels should be out of the milk stage 

 and dented and hardened. 



Cost of Making Silage. The following figures as 

 to cost of making silage have been set forth by the 

 Nebraska station : 



COST OF GROWING 



Rent of land $4.50 



Plowing- and harrowing 2.00 



Seed corn 0.25 



Planting 0.30 



Harrowing and cultivating 2.25 



Total per acre $9.30 



Average yield, tons an acre $13.00 



Cost per ton to grow 0.72 



COST OF FILLING SILO 



Eleven men at $2 a day $22.00 



Seven teams at $2.25 a day 16.75 



One traction engine a day 7.50 



Engineer 2.50 



Coal 3.00 



Board for men 6.00 



Total $56.75 



Silage cut per day, 75 tons; cost to put in silo 



per ton $0.75 



