The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-12-17

FIG. xII.-ERECTING A sTAvE sILo.
liable feed for dairy COWS. twenty-five
to thirty pounds of silage per day Will
keep the milk yields up To point
practically as high as could he reached
on pasture. A silo is Indispensable Oh
the dairy farm. 1t means summer
conditions all the year round.
The value of silage for beer steers
has not been fully demonstrated as
VET. although a great many feeders are
using it with satisfaction. USED IN
moderate quantities. it cheapens the
cost of gain and keeps the animals
healthy. For calves and stock cattle
silace is an excellent feed, keeping
them thrifty and making cheaper gains
than could be produced in any other
way.
All kinds of sheep do we'll on silage
It is a good feed for hogs if fed In
moderation, and chickens are very
| fond of it.
The main consideration in locating
the silo is to have it convenient. Since
most of the silage will probably be led
10 dairy cows. the best place for the
| silo will be at the end of the COW barn.
| Feeding hunks can be arranged close
to the silo for feeding slage to young
stock.
Wooden Silos.
There are several types OF siios.
Many of the first silos put up were
built of lumber double walled ana
sided OH the outside. This mace
very good silo. but one that was alto-
gether too expensive. A later ana
more popular type is the stave sho'
This is made much the same as
wooden tank. 1t consists OF long
slaves held in place by hoops. with
row of doors on one side. Stave siios
are used more extensively at presen'
than any other type. They are cheap
easv TO erect and fairly durable. Inns
latter point depends largely upon tue
Kind of wood used. White pine an'
redwood are the best materials To-
slaves. They will last twenty years U
more. Cypress. Oregon fr. larcn an'
hard pine are all durable woods TO
sjIo construction. Whatever KIND
III umber is used It should he of the hes
oualitv. straight grained. sound an
| free from loose knots. staVe sl'
II should be kept well painted Oh III
| outside. 1t must be anchored soildi
with guy wires. ms it will blow owe
easily when empty. The hoops WI
need to be tighlened in the suulih'
time when the lumber shrlnKs an
loosened again when the silo Is hiled.
Cement and Tile Silos.
concrotn * uscd 10 considerab
ex,ent i'm silo construction. IL prope
| " put up concrete silo ~ practicai
indestructiblp. Silos must he wen !
enforced with steel wire and must
mn, M Inv some one who understand
the busiuess If they are to be satisla
tory. Siiage freezes worS" III Il cenie
than i'm siave silo. douoie VAIN
cemeut sjlo does away with TINS o
lection. although IL increases tue GO
considerably. With ~" recent w
mjces of lumh"r however. II gooo w
lilo walled concrp,b Siiu d"'s not gre'
liz excerd . good Siuvr Silo OF
same size in cost
STONE. brick and cement blocks .
all used for silos with good resui
Tbe main thing is D., get them laid
curately and properly REINFORCED
II 4 silo made of hollow building
is giving good satisfaction at the 10
experiment station. These tiles
laid in cement. being put together cd
wise. The resulting dead air space
$ very effective in preventing ireezl
when lined with a coating OF GENE
such a silo is air and moisture pre-
/lIt u ~ durable and satisfactory 81