86 SILOS, ENSILAGE AND SILAGE. 



The wilting, and partial drying, or curing of the 

 fodder, in the field before hauling to the silo, is fre- 

 quently recommended. As a saving in the weight of the 

 fodder in the subsequent handling, this may be a decided 

 advantage, but the utilities of the practice must depend 

 largely on the condition of the crop as to maturity, and 

 the amount of water it contains, and it will hardly be 

 safe to formulate any definite method of procedure, 

 where good judgment is required in deciding upon the 

 best course under the special conditions presented in 

 each case. The fact that the fodder is not necessarily 

 injured by leaving it in the field, in bunches as cut up, 

 for a short time, or even several days in favorable 

 weather, is, however, of some practical importance, as 

 considerable latitude may be admissible in economizing 

 labor, in adjusting the relations of the cutting and haul- 

 ing gangs of workmen. 



The fodder may be preserved by packing it in the silo 

 as it comes from the field, but the practice is not to be 

 recommended, as the whole stalks are not conveniently 

 handled, or packed, in the silo. It will be far better to 

 cut the fodder in about half-inch lengths with a suitable 

 machine, rigged with a carrier to deliver the cut fodder 

 over the top of the silo. On the whole, this will be 

 found a labor-saving operation, and, moreover, the cut 

 fodder will pack to better advantage in completely 

 filling the silo, and it is also more conveniently fed out. 

 The fodder cutter should be sufficiently strong to cut the 

 large stalks with their attached ears without danger of 

 getting out of repair, and the carrier should deliver the 

 cut fodder, as near as may be, at the top and middle of 

 the silo. 



Some differences of opinion have been expressed as to 

 the length of cut that is most desirable, but in a large 

 proportion of cases, the range of variation reported is 

 from three-eighths to three-fourths of an inch, and 



