COBN OB MAIZE 81 



dry season. The tramping by the hogs in wet soil may 

 cause it to break up cloddy the next spring. 



63. Loss in store. — ■ The moisture content of ear 

 corn at the time of harvest varies from 15 per cent to as 

 much as 35 per cent, or more. The moisture content 

 depends largely upon the maturity. Corn that is well 

 matured usually has from 16 to 20 per cent of moisture 

 at the time of harvest, while immature corn may have 

 as much as 30 or 35 per cent. Corn with high moisture 

 content loses considerable weight in store, due to the 

 evaporation of the water. Many experiments have been 

 conducted to determine the amount of shrinkage of ear 

 corn in store. The weight of the corn when put into the 

 crib compared with the weight when taken out will show 

 the loss due to the drying out while in store. The moisture 

 content of corn when well dried out is from 10 to 14 per 

 cent. Thus corn with 30 per cent of moisture at the time 

 of harvest will show a loss in weight of from 15 per cent to 

 18 per cent when completely dried out. The loss of well- 

 matured corn while in storage is not nearly so great as the 

 loss in immature corn. Perhaps the loss of well-matured 

 corn will not exceed 8 or 10 per cent for the first year. 

 Experiments conducted by the Illinois Station show 

 that the greatest shrinkage occurs during the months of 

 April and May. After May, corn in store loses very 

 little in weight. If kept in store for two years or more, 

 there is very little loss in weight after the spring following 

 the time when it was stored in the fall. In this connection 

 it is interesting to compare the advantage of marketing 

 in the fall at the time of husking, with those of marketing 

 in the following spring or summer, or at a still later date. 

 To decide whether or not to market in the fall, the maturity 

 of the corn at the time of harvest, the price in the fall. 



