Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 243, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1917 — CONCISE DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING A SILO [ARTICLE]

CONCISE DIRECTIONS FOR FILLING A SILO

u Everything Should Be Made Ready for - Continuous Run When Cutting Is Begun. (By L. B. BASSETT, University Farm, ■ St. Paul, Minn.) Silo filling is a hurry-up job in order to get all the growth possible and to avoid frost. Consequently everything should be made ready for a continuous run when cutting starts. The cutter, should be put in firstclass shape, special attention being given to the knives and knife heads. An extra set of knives should be on hand. The blower, fan and both knives should run at the rated speed. Poor joints and a leaky blower mean more

power and clogging. The cutter bar should be in good condition and the knives and bar properly adjusted to each other. If any extras are likely to be needed for the corn binder they should be on hand. Authorities agree that the nearer ripe the corn .is, if it contains enough water to make good silage, the sweeter the silage will be and consequently the more palatable; also the greater the amount of digestible nutrient it will contain. Roughly speaking, a majority of the ears should be dented. When large quantities are to be cut it is necessary to begin before the corn is at its best, otherwise the last cut will be too ripe. Short-cut silage means greater silo capacity, less air space, and if the corn is a little dry, less likelihood of spoiling. Short cutting, also, means reduced capacity of the machine and more power. If the stalks are coarse and woody the waste is greater in longcut silage. In fine stalked corn that is very green there is less difference between the long and short cut. When corn is very dry from being overripe or frozen, it is often •necessary to apply water to the silage in order to make it keep. Enough water should be applied to moisten thoroughly the whole mass. There is little danger of applying too much water;. ■ Roughly speaking It takes one and one-half to two horsepower gas for every ton per hour of green corn cut one-half Inch in length and blown 30 feet high. From this it will be seen that to cut ten tons per hour one-half inch long and blow into a silo 30 feet high will require approximately a 15 or 20 horse power gas engine. If the same amount per hour is cut onefourth of an inch long it will require considerably more power.