45 r » MAIZE 



CHAP. "To sum up, harvest maize for both grain and stover soon 



after the kernels are well dented and the blades begin to dry, but 

 before the ears are thoroughly ripened. For silage, harvest flint 

 varieties when just past glazing and dent varieties when well 

 dented" {Fanners Cyclopedia of Agriculture). 



423. The best Stage of Growth for Fodder. — It is usually 

 considered that the fodder stage is reached when the lower 

 leaves have turned yellow, but have not become dry, while the 

 husks on the ears are still green ; the grain should be fully 

 glazed and practically mature. In this stage it has been found 

 to give about the heaviest yield without loss of palatability, 

 and to be in a suitable condition to " shock " without danger 

 of becoming mouldy. Some farmers recommend that the 

 stalks and the leaves above the ears should have begun to turn 

 golden ; but as the whole crop cannot be cut at once, it would 

 probably be best to begin in the earlier stage of development, 

 i.e. when the lower leaves have turned yellow, but the upper 

 are still green. 



When food of very high palatability is wanted, as, for in- 

 stance, for young, growing stock, or animals being fattened 

 for market, it is considered desirable to cut it rather earlier, 

 i.e. when the lower leaves have just begun to turn and the 

 ears are in the "roasting" stage {Hunt, 1). 



Maize fodder cured in the field has been found to lose 

 from 19 to 21 per cent of dry matter. The loss is nearly 5 

 per cent less if the fodder is cut in the " green-mielie " stage, 

 than if cut when nearly ripe. 



424. Best Stage of Growth for Ensiling. — The degree of 

 maturity and the condition of succulence are the important 

 factors in deciding when the crop is ready for ensiling. It is 

 impossible to make a hard-and-fast rule on these points, as 

 so much depends on local and seasonal conditions ; local ex- 

 perience based on careful observation is therefore the best 

 guide. 



Generally speaking, maize for silage should be cut rather 

 greener than for fodder, otherwise it does not pack so well in 

 the silo, too much air is left in the mass and it is apt to mould. 

 Hunt (1) describes the best condition as reached when many, 

 but not all the ears have become dented in the grain, a portion 

 of the husks dry, and the bottom three or four leaves dry, with 



