THE VALVE OF SILAGE 93 



then it is loaded onto low wagons and hauled at once to the 

 cutter, where it is cut into small bits and blown into the silo. 

 The silo is simply an air-tight receptacle, built strong enough 

 to hold this heavy, green material. 



Nothing is applied to silage to keep it. It is simply pro- 

 tected from the air, hence it cannot spoil. The surface of 

 the silage and any parts that may be exposed, as by a hole 

 in the silo, are quickly sealed over by the molding of a few 

 inches of the corn. 



110. Cost and Feeding Value. Statistics gathered in 

 Minnesota show that it costs from $18 to $20 an acre, includ- 

 ing rent, to grow and store silage. A fair yield is from 9 to 12 

 tons to the acre. Silage may be fed to all classes of live 

 stock, and is highly prized by all who have had experience 

 with a good quality of it. Compared with clover hay, a ton 

 of silage is worth $3 when clover hay is worth $8.80. With 

 clover hay at this price, or with bran at $20 per ton, an acre 

 of average corn stored in the silo is worth approximately $30. 



111. Stacking Silage. In some parts of the country 

 where silos have not yet been introduced, corn grown for 

 silage is cut and stacked green out of doors with very good 

 results. The stacks are usually made round, with the butts 

 of the bundles out. The ears may be stripped from the outer 

 row of bundles and thrown into the middle of the stack so 

 that the butts can be packed more closely together'. The 

 stacks should be made as solid as possible and should be 12 

 or more feet in diameter and 12 or more feet high. The 

 higher the stacks are, if built so that they will not lean, the 

 better. When these stacks are built they are usually, though 

 not always, weighted down with earth or stones or with 

 patented compressors to facilitate their settling. 



The outer part of the stack spoils by molding and thus 

 seals up the inner part and provides the same conditions 



