FILLING THE SILO 161 
As to cutting and filling, there has also been 
considerable gain in our knowledge and practice. 
It is now thought that the finer the corn is cut or 
shredded, the better, primarily because there is 
more even distribution of the parts of the ears and 
stalks, and because the finer the material is cut the 
more readily and evenly will the settling take 
place, thus again preventing the ready access of 
air. It has been demonstrated, also, that the neces- 
sity of very rapid filling of the silo, and the sub- 
sequent pressure, are not such important consid- 
erations as was formerly supposed. 
Corn may be ensiled at the convenience of 
the farmer, providing the fermentation does not 
proceed so far as to cause rotting between times of 
filling. The development of heat in the silo cannot 
be avoided, and does not necessarily occasion 
great loss of substance, although fermentation 
always results in more or less breaking down of 
substance, and in some loss; in the case of corn, 
this loss is chiefly in the carbohydrates. 
When the work can proceed steadily, from 
eight to fifteen tons per day may be put in small 
and medium-sized silos, but, as already indicated, 
the silage should not stand more than two days 
between successive fillings. The importance of 
thoroughly compacting silage at the time of filling 
the silo is not usually sufficiently well understood. 
The thorough tramping not only enables a much 
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