STOWAGE OF FORAGE. 113 



tion injuriously affects the feeding value of the grain, and 

 may be recognised by the musty smell it imparts to the corn 

 and to the great increase of dust, owing to its action on the sur- 

 face of the husks. To prevent such fermentation taking place, 

 the corn should be kept dry and well ventilated. A year and a 

 half will generally be sufficient for the thorough drying of corn. 

 There are various forms of fermentation which are respec- 

 tively produced by special bacteria. As moisture favours the 

 growth and development of these minute forms of vegetable 

 life; the dryer hay and corn are kept, the less chance will 

 they have of being injuriously affected by fermentation. 



STOWAGE OF FORAGE. 



As damp is the great thing to be avoided in the keeping 

 of hay and corn, they are best stowed in a loft and not 

 on the ground floor. The loft should of course be dry 

 and well ventilated, and if over a stable, it should be care- 

 fully protected from foul emanations which might arise from 

 below. The corn is best kept, particularly if it has not 

 been very well saved, when it is spread out in a layer on 

 the floor, and turned over with a shovel at suitable 

 intervals of time, in order to prevent it from heating. 

 Naturally, this precaution need not be observed when 

 the expenditure is rapid compared to the frequency with 

 which the supply is replenished. As hay, like corn, keeps 

 best in the original stack, provided the stack is efficiently 

 sheltered from inclement weather, by for instance a good 

 thatched roof; it will generally be advisable for an owner 

 in the country to get a load freshly cut from the stack, 

 as he may require it. If he buys his forage from a local 

 corn-dealer, he can get it as he wants it, without having to 

 make any special arrangements about the stowage. A man 

 who grows his own oats, had best keep them in the stack, 

 until he wants to thrash them. 



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