HARVESTING AND STORAGE 455 



422. The Best Stage of Growth J or both Groin ami CHAP. 

 Stover. — -The total weight of grain increases up to the period of XI - 

 full maturity (Hunt, I). When the plant is grown for ears 

 alone, it is not only allowed to ripen, but the ears are allowed 

 to remain on the standing stalks until they have become dry 

 enough to be safe for storage, usually about a month after 

 the maize is ripe, or after the first killing frost. But when the 

 stover, as well as the grain, is to be harvested, it is well to 

 allow the plant to become as ripe as is possible without risk of 

 the leaves falling off before or during the operation of shocking. 

 The ears should be all, or nearly all, dented or glazed, the 

 husks dry, and the leaves from one-third to one-half green 

 {Hunt, 1). 



According to the Iowa Station " the stover of a crop of 

 maize seems to reach the highest yield and the best condition 

 for feeding at the stage of growth indicated by a well-dented 

 kernel and the first drying of the blades. The grain of a crop 

 of maize seems to reach the highest yield and the best condition 

 for utility at the stage of growth indicated by a well-ripened 

 ear and a few dry blades ; and the best time for securing the 

 crop with reference to the highest utility of both maize and 

 stover would be found at a stage of ripening between the 

 above." 



The Wisconsin Station recommends the cutting of flint 

 breeds for silage when just past glazing, and dent breeds when 

 " well dented " ; while the Vermont Station recommends that 

 maize be allowed to stand before ripening as long as it is safe 

 from frost. The Ohio Station found there was little difference 

 in the yield of grain from maize left standing, or maize cut 

 and shocked, provided it was sufficiently matured at cutting 

 time. 



In the field-curing of maize at the Colorado Station, large 

 shocks lost 31 per cent of their dry matter, small shocks 43, 

 and maize spread on the ground 55 per cent, largely because 

 of the active fermentation in the seemingly dry and well-cured 

 stalks. At the Oklahoma Station the outside stalks of maize 

 shocks exposed to the sun, rain, and wind lost fully one- 

 fourth of their feeding value as compared with the inner stalks. 

 The average loss in dry matter at the Wisconsin Station, 

 in ensiling maize, was 15-6 per cent and in field-curing the 

 same fodder 23-8 per cent. 



