ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 193 



ded corn fodder is more feedable than cut, and rejected material makes 

 better bedding than cut fodder. 



With the established use of the shredder has come its adoption in the 

 preparation of silage. In the fall of 1896 we filled a rectangular silo 

 at Purdue with shredded corn fodder, but with unsatisfactory results, 

 The silage had extensive mouldy streaks through it, which I could not 

 account for in a satisfactory manner. It was liberally moistened with 

 water, and was tramped along the sides during the filling operation. For 

 some reason it appeared rather spongy and did not pack well. I do not 

 think, however, that the shredding was at fault, but rather some other 

 condition. 



Mr. F. E. Dawley, the Director of the New York State Farmers' Insti- 

 tutes, shreds his silage with entire success. Since using the shredder, 

 he says he gets from one-fourth vo one-third more corn into the silo 

 than when the stalks were cut to 1 y A inch lengths. The leaves, stalks and 

 ears are more thoroughly mixed than ever before, the whole stalk is 

 ground fine, and seldom does a piece of corn or stalk of any size come 

 over the elevator. The silage comes out in excellent shape. It is packed 

 so firmly in the silo that Mr. Dawley was able to cut a piece the size of 

 a cubical foot and carry five miles to a meeting, without its breaking 

 apart. Other persons besides Mr. Dawley report similar experiences. 



Charles Lautz is a prominent Jersey breeder and extensive dairy- 

 man near Buffalo, N. Y. In 1897 he filled two silos, one with cut and the 

 other with shredded corn. In a note in the Breeders' Gazette (July 6, '98) 

 he says: " While the silage which was cut kept very nicely, the cattla 

 do not eat is up so cleanly as the silage which was cut with the shredder- 

 It is not so good in color. I still have about 200 tons of silage or. hand 

 now which was shredded. It is in first-class condition, and I would not 

 think of going back to the old way of cutting again. The silage I put 

 down this fall will be shredded." 



Undoubtedly shredding promises to become a popular method cf 

 preparing silage in the future. 



Numerous kinds of forage plants have been tried for silage, but thus 

 far Indian corn seems to be the only entirely satisfactory one. This can 



