The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-09-08
SOME FARMING MATTERS.
INFORMATION ON MATTERS
z :sRFTAINlNG TO THE FARM.
How to Build a Silo--Ab out Water
ing Horse-.Lime.sln Hortl-
culture - Poultry Yard
Ialks--Useful Point
ers on Various
Subjects.
How to Build a Silo.

How to Build Silo.
Answering a New York correspond-
ent concerning the best way to build q
ssllo, the thickness OF the walls. etc.
the Country Gentleman says:
It IS alittle difficult to give salts
factory answer, as the inquiry is SO
obscure. If the;kind OF wall had been
stated, the answer could have been
made to the point. AS there are half
g dozen kinds OF silo walls, the only
way is to give a general answer, and if
the reply is miss, the inquiry can be
made again, and more definite. The
Importance is not so much in the
thickness Of the wall as in the charac-
ter OF the wall itself. The first thing
IS to make it absolutely as near air.
proof as possible, as on these two
conditions, rests the success OF the un-
dertaking. If the question about thick
ness refers to the pro ection against
frost, this object is accomplished
by having a deadair space in the
walls If built Of wood, and if
Of stone build them hollow, tying
the two walls together frequently with
long stones, to make them firm. It
is more to- be supposed that the silo
is to be built OF wood, but in or out of
the barn is a question. If in the
barn, the thing resolves itself into a
big box in a corner. in which event
the silo will not need an outside pro-
lection or a dead-air space, as the
barn affords all this that is needed
from cold or storm. If the barn
frame is strong one to 'back" the
silo, the studding need not be more
than 2x4 inch stuff, resting against
the girths; but where the silo walls
leave the barn frame to cross the
open space, they will need to be at
least 2x6 or 2x8 inch material, and
"bridging' all the center so as to
strengthen them against springing
out. .as-. ~
If you should shingle cell or plaster
the silo, you will need little stronger
frame than where the inside is double
boarded. Ifyou lath and plaster, it
would be better to get the patent lath
which are made of inch lumber furrow-
ed into parallel grooves, so that
clinches are afforded for the plaster,
and by the use of this kind OF lath no
sheathing is needed; and sprihging of
the walls is prevented by using more
studding or setting the 2x6 studs 20
inches apart, and then setting 2x4
between them.
The danger OF freezing a pit of ensil-
age, If in a wooden silo, is q very
small part of the risk and it may
be accepted as settled that the ensi-
age is so protected by adead-air space
and two thicknesses of lumber that
freezing is not more than a remote
danger, and, as rule, only to the ex-
tent Of chilling thin layer on the top
and this can be avoided by having an
old canvas to use during the coolest
weather to spread over the surface,
when the thermometer gets. below re-
TO.
In making the dead-air space in a
a silo, there should be way to give
the space ventilation at all times
when there is no danger OF frost, so as
to keep the wall as dry as poss bic,
and the best way to do this is to. have
the outside bottom boards hinged,
and the outside board under the plate
the same way; then this space will dry
out, and the decay that would other
wise soon set in would be arrested,
and the 'physicaP' life OF the silo pro-
longed.
Where the silo is built in a barn,
and inside OF the walls, and it is i'm
possible to get ventilation for the
space it is a good thing to throw air
Stacked lime down between the wall
and the silo, which will take up the
dampness, and what is more, the rats
and mice will not care to trouble the
foundation if they have a layer Of
lime to burrow into to reach the soil.
Ii this silo is to be built out-of-
doors, and with walls 20 or more feet
in height, it will be best to use 2xlO
inch studding, set not more than Is
inches from centers, and 20 feet high
it will be a good precaution to put
two rows OF bridging between the
studding to give it additional
strength.
Poultry Yard Talks.
Tn c,to NJ ~ sd ,,,,,o - l.,