392 CORN 



silo to distribute and tramp the material. Unless there is some one to 

 do this the cut material will be thrown too much in one place and the 

 leaves, stalks and grain will not be uniformly distributed throughout 

 the silo. The sides should be kept higher than the center and much of 

 the tramping done close to the wall. 



"Various contrivances have been used for distributing the silage. 

 The one most to be recommended for this purpose, however, is a 

 metal pipe similar to the one in which the cut corn is elevated, but put 

 together loosely in sections. The corn from the blower passes down 

 this pipe into the silo, and being loosely put together it can be swung 

 so that the material can be placed anywhere in the silo. With this 

 contrivance no work with a fork is necessary and one man can do the 

 work of two or three and do it easier. There is very little loose ma- 

 terial flying about in the silo and the work is much cleaner. Another 

 advantage is a lessening of the danger of being struck by some foreign 

 object which has passed up the blower pipe. Heavy knives of the 

 cutter have been known to pass through the blower and into the silo. 

 As has been mentioned, this pipe is put together in sections, so that 

 as the silage rises in the silo the sections can be readily detached as 

 required. 



"Adding Water. In case the material has become too dry before 

 it is put into the silo, water should be added to supply the deficiency 

 of moisture and so make the silage pack better. Unless it is well 

 packed the silage will 'firefang 'or deteriorate through the growth of 

 mold. Enough water should be added to restore the moisture content 

 of the corn to what it would be if cut at the proper stage. The water 

 may be added by running directly into the silo by means of a hose or 

 by running through the blower. It is claimed that by running it into 

 the blower the water is more thoroughly mixed with the cut corn. 



"It seems to be good practice, no matter what the condition of the 

 corn, to thoroughly wet down the material at the top of the silo when 

 through filling. This will help to pack the top layer and lessen the 

 amount of spoiled silage on top. 



"Covering the Silage. Several years ago it was a common practice 

 to cover the silage with some material, such as dirt or cut straw, in 

 order to prevent the top layer from spoiling. At present when any 

 provision at all is made for this purpose it consists usually in merely 



