PRODUCTION OF CORN 87 



sary to cut the corn into short lengths. When cut, the fine 

 material is conveyed, usually by means of a blower, J:o the 

 open end of the silo. During the process of filling the silo, 

 the material should be packed by tramping, the area next to 

 the wall receiving particular attention. By thorough pack- 

 ing as much air as possible will be crowded out. If the fodder 

 is dry, as sometimes happens when it is cut after frost, enough 

 water must be added to enable the mass to become well 

 packed. As the silo is being filled, the weight of the silage 

 material tends to make the mass more compact. For this 

 reason, tall silos are to be preferred to short ones. After the 

 filling is completed, certain processes of fermentation take 

 place in which most of the oxygen of the enclosed air is used 

 up. The products of this fermentation prevent further 

 decomposition of the silage, except at the surface where it is 

 in contact with air. The principle observed in preserving 

 silage is similar to that used in making sauer kraut; that is, 

 such conditions are created that the products of partial 

 fermentation will prevent further decomposition. 



Fourth, allowing animals to do their own harvesting: 

 This method of harvesting applies especially to the use of 

 hogs for this purpose. The hogs are turned into a field to 

 remain until they have eaten all the corn. This plan, known 

 as "hogging corn," has some advantages: it saves labor; 

 it wastes little feed; and all the animal wastes are distributed 

 over the field, thus adding to its fertility. 



Distribution of labor in raising a crop of corn. In the 

 following tabulation, the labor required for the various 

 operations pertaining to raising an acre of corn is indicated 

 in terms of hours. These figures are averages taken from 

 a study of a number of Ohio farms. 



