214 BETTER DAIRY FARMING 



be thoroughly packed in the silo to get minimum loss during 

 fermentation and to secure largest tonnage for size of silo. Once 

 the silo is filled, it should not be entered for some time because of 

 danger to life from the accumulation of carbon dioxide given off 

 during fermentation. The danger can be overcome by removing 

 the door near the surface of the settled silage and allowing it to air 

 out before entering. 



373. Adding water. — If the corn is overripe or very dry when 

 placed in the silo a certain amount of water should be added with 

 it. It is difficult to decide how much water to add, for too much 

 means silage of poor quality and too little may mean moldy silage. 

 The best guide here is to add enough water so that it will pack well. 

 The only really satisfactory way to get the silage thoroughly and 

 evenly wet is to run the water in through the blower of the silage 

 cutter. 



374. Silage from frosted corn. — We have recommended cut- 

 ting corn for silage before the first frost. This is because frosted 

 corn is more difficult to handle properly to preserve its nutrients. 

 However, in an effort to let the corn come to the proper stage of 

 maturity for maximum yield the farmer in the more northern 

 sections must take some chance on having his corn frosted, and 

 the question frequently comes up as to how it should be handled. 

 Corn which has been frosted should be cut at once, otherwise there 

 will be a loss in the field due to leaves dropping off. Further, rain 

 will leach nutrients out of frosted corn as it does out of corn in the 

 shock. When frosted corn is put in the silo, enough water must be 

 added to make it pack well, putting it in through the blower of 

 the silage cutter. If the farmer will cut his corn as soon as frosted 

 and can put it in the silo with the proper addition of water, he 

 can be certain of good silage from frosted corn, and he can afford 

 to take a chance on frost, if necessary, to secure maximum yield 

 through proper stage of maturity. 



375. Silage remaining in a silo. — A farmer often wants to 

 know how much silage he has left. This can be found out from the 

 following table, taken from Missouri Circular 89, which shows 

 the estimated weight of settled silage: 



