160 LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM 



some protein roughage is fed along with the corn silage, a 

 better-balanced, more digestible and a more economical ration 

 is produced. The rule to keep in mind, therefore, in regard 

 to planting corn for the silo is to plant the largest corn that 

 will come to maturity in the given locality. The time to cut 

 the corn for the silo is the same as that for corn to be put into 

 the shock to be husked later. This is when the kernels are 

 dented and glazed and when the lower leaves are dry. 



Filling the Silo. — There are only a few necessary precau- 

 tions in regard to filling the silo. It should be filled rai:>idly 

 and the corn be well distributed and well packed. A man, 

 preferably of heavy weight, should be kept in the silo while it 

 is being filled to distribute and tramp the cut corn. It should 

 l)e especially well tramped around the outside. 



Kind of Silo. — There are two principal types of silos, the 

 pit or underground silo and the above-ground silo. The 

 former can be built only in a dry country where there is not 

 too much water in the soil. This, at times is somewhat 

 dangerous on account of poisonous gases settling in them. 

 Before going into a pit silo, one should let down a lighted 

 lantern. If it goes out, there is danger. Under such condi- 

 tions a current of air should be forced into the bottom by 

 means of a fan. 



By far the most common type of silo is the above-ground 

 silo. This is built in many different ways. The kind of silo 

 one builds is immaterial except for himself and for his own 

 farm. A silo, however, should not be built too wide but 

 should be built high. It has been said that adding 10 feet 

 to the height of a 40-foot silo doubles its capacity. A silo 

 should never be built so wide that in using the silage it can- 

 not be taken down fast enough to prevent spoiling. Silos 

 range from 12 to 30 feet in diameter and from 30 to 75 feet 

 in height. A good dimension is 16 feet in diameter and 40 

 feet in height. 



Use of Beef Bull in Dairy Herd. — Calves from inferior cows 

 when sired by a dairy bull will not make good dairy cows and 

 have very little value as beef animals. If then, inferior cows 

 are bred to a good beef bull, the calves will make good beef 

 animals and this will add considerably to the income from the 

 dairy herd. 



