The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-24

Iowa State Register.
The construction and filing Of silos is a ouss-
ton which does not appear to interest the peo-
ple Of Iowa as much as it does some other
States. And yet if the State is probably lag
gine along behind. the dairymen and farmers
will como to it. Who're it has been thoroughly
discussed and illustrated ia the States where
they have institutes with the means to demon
strate how to build, how to I'll, and how to feed,
it 10 evidently q grand success. Mr.. Gould has
probably taken a. much interest in this matter
as any other man. and lis directions are plain,
and easily understood. OF the advanced plans
he says:
The inquiries are 40 follows: "Wou.d You
build of wood or stone2 Would you put . par
tision in q 30 feet long silo, l6 by Is feetf
Would you put fodder in whoief7 Reply-As
silos are now considered best built above ground,
wood il regarded as better material, az 1t Is .
better non-conductor Of heat and cold. Stone
being q good conductor, with warm ensilsge on
the one side and frost on the other, condensa-
ton takes place On the ensilags side, and does
more or less damage; besides readily freezing Ia
severe weather. Here in Wisconsin stone silos
are now discarded for this reason, and the 600
silos built last year wera all Of wood, and have
case that has fallen under my obser.
walton, and wood will be exclusively
used the year to come. The walls
will be strong enough II two by ten-inch stud
ding. set sixteen inches apart. is used for the
frame; the inside part OF the sil0is best built.
as demonstrated, by putting on TWO thicknessss
ofinch boards, with tsrred paper between them,
we'll nailed on. The lumber is best put on. both
courses. horizontally. not mp and down. then
there are no air grooves for the up escape Of
air. The inside can be painted cheaply with
hot coal tar. or even ironclad paint. Floors are
now discarded for clay. well pounded down. al
lowing it to come up on the inside boarding OF
the silo . few inches TO give the bottom Of the
silo a slight concave surface, IL now regarded a
preferable. When the ensilage has become well
settled and heated, no better cover can DO de-
vissd than . foot or so Of straw scattered evenly
over the surface. well-troddsn down about the
sides. and . little old lumber, etc.. thrown upor
il TO hold the straw In place. Wsiehting silol
10 . relic of the past that should no longer b
advocated. 1t is better to put . partition in q
silo of the size you mention. Il sxpedites filing.
- one pit can be left TO heat mp while filing Il
going on In the other. AZ . rule, ensilsgs Il
best cut into the pits. but l have seen notable
exceptions 70 this, whore 1t was put mp whole
and is being taken out with good satisfaction,
although 1t takes far more labor. In filling Z
silo with whole fodder. the great difficulty - IN
getting the fodder compactly Into the corners
SO - to exclude the air perfectly. and secure
proper beating. To do this properly. . spade
should be sharpeped and the ''eorners' spades
down. and then IL can b stamped down and the
ensilaes in the corners u then s'silcsd' - vel
- che eenter Of the pit A. silo uacn1nery Y