FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 159 



ported good results with this plan, but would have secured 

 better results had the stove been placed three feet lower, 

 or under the crib. 



If the stove is placed under the crib, the floor should 

 be slatted, or else have a slatted sub-floor thru which the 

 heat can enter. Since the heated air will pass out thru the 

 points of least resistance, it is necessary to take proper pre- 

 cautions, so that all warm air will pass thru the corn. 



Drying the corn by merely forcing air thru it is prac- 

 ticed generally by seed-corn men and to a certain extent by 

 farmers. Some farmers have successfully used a silage-cut- 

 ter blower for forcing air thru bins of ear corn. Where 

 electric power is available, a small electric fan could be 

 operated at little expense with considerable benefit. 



Value of Salt Doubtful. 



Salt nas been recommended for a long time as an aid 

 in preserving soft corn in the crib and has been used with 

 varying degrees of success by Illinois farmers. In some 

 communities, all those who have used salt on soft corn 

 recommend it, while in other communities there is no en- 

 thusiasm for the practice. If salt is to be placed on soft 

 corn when the crop is being cribbed, from a half to one 

 pound of salt for each 100 pounds of corn is enough. The 

 salt should be distributed evenly thruout the crib. All rib- 

 bons, silks, and badly rotted ears should be discarded. 



Ear Corn Can Be Stored in Silos. 



Some have advocated storing and drying ear corn in 

 silos. This can be done if a slatted floor is put in the silo 

 about six or eight feet from the bottom. The corn can then 

 be stored in it and dried out either by a heater of some sort 

 placed in the bottom of the silo or by forcing the circula- 

 tion of air with a fan. This method of drying corn has 

 been patented. 



