CORN 



189 



It is wise to feed stover during the winter period. Its feeding value 

 may be increased by shredding. This encourages livestock to consume 

 a larger proportion of the stalks. Fifty per cent of the feeding value of 

 the corn stover lies in the portion of the stalk below the ear. When this 

 is neither cut nor shredded very little of it is eaten by livestock. Shred- 

 ding or cutting better fits the refuse for bedding purposes and facilitates 

 the handling of the manure in which the refuse is finally deposited. 



In storing cut or shredded fodder one should be certain that it does 

 not contain too much moisture. It should be reasonably dry when stored 

 in large bulk in order to prevent heating and spoiling. It is well, there- 

 fore, to shred when weather conditions are fairly dry, and not until the 

 corn stover has become thoroughly cured. 



Shrinkage op Corn in Crib by Months. Average 8 Years, 

 Iowa Experiment Station. 



Month. 



November 

 December. 



January. . 

 February. 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July 



August 

 September 

 October. . . 



Total Shrinkage 

 to Date, 



per rent. 



5.2 

 6.9 



7.5 

 7.8 

 9.7 

 12.8 

 14.7 

 16.3 

 17.3 

 17.8 

 18.2 

 18.2 



Average fur 



the Month, 

 per cent. 



5.2 

 1.7 

 .6 

 .3 

 1.9 

 3.1 

 1.9 

 1.6 

 1.0 



The cheapest method of harvesting corn is to pasture with hogs. 

 This is known as hogging down corn. The results of a four years' test 

 at the Missouri Experiment Station showed that hogging down corn gave 

 a return of 324.5 pounds of pork per acre, which, at 6 cents per pound, was 

 valued at $19.48. The average number of hogs per acre was 14, and the 

 number of days kept in the field was 35. This was on poor land and with 

 corn yielding 25 to 30 bushels per acre. 



Storing Corn. — The grain of corn is best stored for a time on the ear 

 in a well-ventilated crib or building. Corn cribs of slatted sides with 

 openings just small enough to prevent ears passing through are almost 

 universally used for this purpose. They should be covered with roofs 

 projecting some distance beyond the sides, and turn water without leaking. 

 Cribs should be on elevated foundations, preferably of masonry or concrete. 

 For the ideal crib, see Chapter 57. All precaution must be taken to 

 prevent serious loss by rats and mice. Corn should not be put in the 



