The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-01-05

tent to prevent further heating and
fermentation of corn that was not al
lowed to dry properly or was poorly
stored before being placed upon the
market. This state of affairs, which
results from allowing the corn to re-
main wet during winter and necessi-
tates the removal of the water by eX-
pensive means, keeps the price of corn
lower than 1t would be If the corn
were allowed to dry In the fields and
were kept dry until placed upon the
market Grain buyers would pay
better price IL the general supply of
corn reached them in q condition that
would insure its preservation without
drying and the resulting shrinkage.
In addition to affording thorough
ventilation to the stored grain and pro-
lection from driving rains, cribs
should be constructed in such q man.
ner that they can be filled and emptied
with the least possible labor. For lev
ell ground double cribs with an ele-
waited driveway and approaches that
will enable the loads to be driven
through the cribs and dumped or
scooped out Of the wagons without any
high pitching are very satisfactory.
Protection From Insects.
In sections where insects are de-
structive to stored grain, cleanliness is
of value in preventing injury from this
source. Small quantities of grain
should not be left in the cribs during
the summer, as they tend to harbor
these pests. Where insects are de-
structive to the stored grain, it is a
good practice to dispose of the entire
crop as early as possible and clean
the cribs thoroughly, so that there are
left few hiding places and no food to
carry the insects through the summer
In southern localities, where the
weather is warm enough to permit
these pests to work throughout the en-
tire year, 1t is best to construct the
cribs so that they can be made prac-
tically air-tight and then to treat the
crop with some insecticide such as car
bon bisulphide. If this plan were thor
oughly carried out the corn weevil
could be practically exterminated.
and sparrows, galvanized wire cribs
are coming into use. Wire netting of
about one-fOurth inch mesh can also
be successfully used in the construc-
ton of frame corncribs. This wire
netting can be tackled to the inside of
the uprights of the crib, and the strips
which constitute the sides of the crib
can also be nailed on the inside of the
uprights, thus holding the wire netting
in place. AS floor which should be
Is inches or more from the ground so
as not to afford a hiding place for
rats, the wire netting can be tackled
to the sleepers and the flooring nailed
overhead protection the wire netting
| is simply tackled to the joists.
If cribs are built upon solid con
crete foundations through which rats
cannot burrow no netting will be
needed, pr the floor and the struc.
ture caT be kept near the ground
With ample roof projection and upper
ventilation no danger from dampness
need be feared.
Shrinkage.
The shrinkage that will take place
in the crib of corn from the time II
is crjbbed in the fall until 1t is sold
varies so greatly in accordance with
the amount of moisture the corn con.
tains when placed in the crib, and also
the ventilation of the crib, that it is
impossible to state a percentage OF
shrinhage that will apply with GER
tainty to any particular crib of stored
corn. Various tests show that during
the first year the shrinkage In cribbed
corn approximates 10 per cent for the
first year and 20 per cent for two