The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-08-16
FIELD AND GARDEN.
Observations and Experiments of
Widespread Interest.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF sILos.
Facts Cleaned From the Ensilage Convention
and From Farmers Who Have
Built SilOs.

With the rapid increase of silos there
has come about change in the manner
of construction and filling that at one
time was considered indispensable.
While the principles of silage preserva-
ton remain unchanged, it has been
demonstrated deep pits and expensive
masonry may be dispensed with, and
that cheap silos can be built in suitable
places that afford equally good preserva-
ton.
After seven years experience at the
Agricultural College of Michigan, Pro-
fessor johnson embodies in a recent bull
letin a large amount of practical infor-
nation on the subject, derived not only
from the experiments at the station but
from the testimony of practical farmers
in various parts Of the state, who from
their own use of silos have expressed
themselves highly favorable to the sys-
tenn. The silo should for convenience
be as near the feeding room or stable as
possible and on the same level. 1t may
be in the bay of barn or in an adjacent
building Expensive materials are not
necessary, but silos built of lumber pre-
serve the ensilage as well, if not better,
than masonry; and no difficulty is ex-
perienced in keeping the silage when
the silo is entirely above ground.
At the recent ensilage convention in
Cleveland a vote was taken on building
silos; twelve voted for double boarding
with lath and plaster, three for double
boarding with tarred paper and seven
for only one thickness of matched mar
row lumber on the inside of studding.
Great care should be taken to have the
walls of the silo smooth and vertical, so
that the silage shall settle evenly. 1t is
better to build too large than too small;
have good height, bu: avoid the deep
caverns from which the silage must be
raised by machinery.
The dimensions of the last silo built at
the college are is by 30 by %, with par
tition in the center, making two silos
each Is by IS outside measurement; to-
tai capacity about 200 tons. The walls
are made of by u studding, placed one
foot apart and well tied by strong iron
rods running from side to side. On the
outside ordinary stock boards battened
and painted made the finish On the in
side the studding was first covered with
culls put on horizontally. On these a
layer of tarred paper, then a second COW
ering of boards put on perpendicularly.
Doors open from each silo into the feed
ing rooms adjacent.
a cheaper form, often used and rec
commended by others, is made with by
or 10 studding, set 16 inches apart,
weather boarded on the outside and the
inside, made as above, with two thick
nesses of inch boards, with tarred paper
between them, nailed on the studding.
Wooden silos should be firmly fastened
together to resist the heavy lateral pres
sure caused by the settling and weight
inside. 1t is said that any crop suitable
for feeding in its green state will make
good silage, but the corn plant is mani
testify superior to any other. Here again
there has been change in opinion and
practice. Formerly it was put into the
silo very green. 1t is now known that
it should be more mature, and not be cut
for ensilage until the ears begin to glaze.
Thick seeding for ensilage and spindling
stalks without ears have been discarded.
Cutting into the short lengths is prefer
able. Occasionally, but rarely, corn has
been put in UNCUT.
! There are still some unsettled points
about ensilage At the first, rapid filling
was advocated; then came change of
opinion, and the theory was advanced
that if the silo was filled slowly and its
contents allowed to heat up to 12O or 100
degrees, the germs that cause fermenta-
ton would be destroyed. This theory of
making sweet silage by slow filling has
been generally accepted and practiced
for few years; but there are some very
intelligent dissenters who believe the
bacteria are not killed at 1870 degrees,
but are at their best at that temperature,
and that the improved condition of 81
lage for two or three years past is due
to ensilaging corn when more nearly
matured than formerly, rather than to
slow filling Silage should be weighted
moderately and covered in such way
as to exclude the air as much as possible,
but extra heavy weighing is not now
considered necessary.