CORN, WHEAT, OATS, BARLEY, RYE 



61 



method lias been employed in the New England States where 

 fodder was desired and where it is thonght to hasten the matu- 

 rity of the ears. The fifth method is coming into use more gen- 

 erally with the increased cost of harvesting the crop. When 

 practiced hogs should be turned into small areas at a time until 

 they have cleaned it up then into another similar area, etc. 

 These areas can easily be fenced as the wire can be tied to the 

 stalks at frequent intervals thus eliminating the need for posts. 

 The hogs make little effort to escape as long as the corn lasts. 



The time to harvest corn is at or near full maturity either 

 when the ear alone or when both ear and stover are desired 

 because dry weight increases until the plant is fully mature. 

 This is well shown by the following data from the Michigan 

 Experiment Station.^ 



From a study of the table it is readily seen why it is advan- 

 tageous to harvest near the time of maturity. If the corn is to 

 be used for silage other considerations come in wiiich require 

 a little earlier harvest. If not harvested before mature, water 

 must be added to silage when silo is filled; leaves and tassels 

 drop off easily when handling; and the silage does not pack well. 

 Early harvest is also necessary in many cases to avoid frost 

 injury. In this connection it might be said that in regions with 

 short growing seasons it is usually advantageous to grow a 

 variety for silage that will not completely mature but will reach 

 the glazing stage in most seasons. This is advisable because 

 more food nutrients as well as green matter can be secured by 

 gro^\dng such a variety to the glazed stage than by growing an 

 earlier variety to maturity. Of course this practice necessitates 

 purchasing seed from an outside source each year. 



The loss in weight of ear corn in storage is from five to twenty- 

 five per cent during the first year, due largely to loss of water. 

 The loss in dry weight of either fodder or silage during a similar 

 period is about twenty per cent. 



United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 97. 



