The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-09-04
HARVESTING slLAGE CROPS.

The corn harvester is becoming very
popular for harvesting corn for filling
the silo, and the work is carried on
much faster than when the hand
method is used, of cutting; however, if
the amount of corn or other crops used
is not great enough to justify the ex-
pense of harvester, hand cutting may
be practiced
In determining the size of cutter, en-
CINE, and other machinery to be pur-
chased, the amount of work to be done
should be taken into consideration. The
cutter should be large enough to carry
on the work as fast as the entire force
of men employed can get the crop to
the cutter, and on the other hand the
cutter should not be too large for the
engine that is to drive it.
The larger cutters having the self
feeding device afford the greatest Ca
pacity, and save a large amount Of
labor which is required in the opera
ton of the smaller machines.
The entire crop grown for filling the
silo should all be planted at the same
time in order that it may be filled at
one time if possible, which will reduce
the cost of filling to minimum; how
ever, where two different crops, such
as corn and sorghum, are grown for
filling the silo, the time of planting
each will have to be varied according
to the time that each crop requires to
reach maturity.
From data gathered from number
Iof farmers over the State who have
silos the average cost of filing same
has been found to be 60 cents per ton
The cost of filling is determined by the
distance which the crop has to be
hauled; the condition of the crop, the
method of harvesting and the cost of
labor. The crop for filling the silo
should be grown as near 1t as possible
in order that a long haul will not be
necessary.
When the filling is started the work
should be rushed and enough labor en-
ployed to carry on each part OF the
work in order that one part of the
work will not be delayed by the other.
The silage Is cut into very small
particles by machine and blown by a
fan into the silo at the top. 1t should
be well packed and evenly distributed
over the entire surface Of the silo 90
that the grain and fodder will be well
mixed. If the crop used for filling the
silo is very dry, water should be added
in sufficient quantity to moisten it; the
water is sometimes sprinkled on the
corn or other crop used as it goes
through the blower of the cutter by
barrel being elevated just above it.
This method is satisfactory and easier
than carrying the water to the top of
the silo unless water tank is elevated
and gives sufficient pressure to carry
the water with a hose to the top of
the silo.
While the silo is being filled the
silage should be well packed, which
will require two or more men being
kept in it all the time. That portion of
the silage near the walls and on the
edges should be packed very tight, as
this is the hardest portion of the silo
to exclude the air from and when the
silage settles, after the silo is filled,
which it will always do, the walls
prevent this portion Of the silage from
settling as much as that in the middle
of the silo.
The crop which is used to fill the
silo being green when put into it, will
cause a large amount of heat to be
evolved, but this need not cause any
alarm and it will continue until the
limited amount of oxygen in the silo
has been exhausted