FILLING THE SILO. 339 



be put into the silo, it is questionable if any imple- 

 ment used by hand is superior to the corn knife. 

 But when large areas are to be cut, the corn binder 

 should do the work satisfactorily and with despatch 

 when the corn or sorghum stands fairly erect. 



Conveying the Crop to the Silo. Since crops 

 for the silo must be harvested in the green form, 

 they handle very heavily. The aim should be to 

 convey them to the silo by that method that will 

 involve the least expenditure in labor. Ordinarily 

 therefore they should be loaded on conveyances 

 which do not rise far from the ground. Careful 

 attention to this matter will prevent the expenditure 

 of muscle in a marked degree. Trucks with low 

 wheels and covered with a broad platform are suit- 

 able for such work. The only objection to them 

 probably is the heavy draught. A platform is some- 

 times made on which to load these crops, and when 

 in use it is suspended underneath the front and hind 

 bolsters of an ordinary wagon. It consists of two 

 strong scantlings of hardwood of any length within 

 the limits of practicability, and held together by cross- 

 pieces at both ends. Inch boards of some hard wood 

 are nailed across these scantlings. If pine is the 

 material used, the boards or planks should be thicker. 

 The platform is suspended so as to come within 

 about a foot of the ground. The green food is 

 placed on the same for conveyance to the silo. 



In gathering some kinds of crops for convey- 

 ance to the silo, as clover for instance, a hay loader 

 may sometimes be used with advantage. But when 

 so used the green food must be lifted from the swath 

 where the mower left it. Sunflower heads are 



