Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-03
The Silo.
(By Forest Henry, Dover, slinn.)

(By Forest Henry, Dover, Slinn)
For many years the silo was looked up
on with suspicion. Many that were
built were used only for few season:
and then sank into decay. During this
trial period many mistakes were made
in construction and as many more in
filling. Like all other experimental
work it took years to come to definite
conclusions. At the present time, how
ever, the silo has passed the expert
mental stage and we are living in an era
when it has become positive factor or
the stock farm and We might add, an
absolute necessity where one wishes to
make the most Of his business. The
failures at the beginning were due to
one of two things, viz, poor construc'
ton or lack of knowledge Of when to
fill and how TO fill.
No matter what material one uses in
the construction of silo there are two
things absolutely necessary to success.
1t must be air-tight and of such form as
to allow it to be filled with equal den
sity. In other words, all corners must
be discarded as it is next to impossible
to get the silage thoroughly packed into
the corners. The cylindrical form is the
ideal form for two reasons. First, a
cylinder will contain more space for the
material used than any other form; for
instance, the fuller you fill a sack the
rounder it gets. Again, you can pack
round silo better and with less labor
than one of any other form. Again, a
silo should be as deep as it can be made
with consistency. The silage settles
more and keeps with less loss. II has
been demonstrated that there is less
loss in feeding value as we go down into
our silos. In other words, the silage
near the top loses nearly double in feed
ing value over that which is twenty feet
lower in the silo.
We find it necessary to remove thin
slice at least every other day over the
top of the silo while feeding II, par
ticularly in warm weather, aud conss-
quently the man with ten cows should
have practically as deep silo as the
farmer with 25, provided he furnishes as
good feed for his animals. Build as
deep as practical and as wide as is need
ed. One of the worst mistakes that is
ordinarily made by the farmer is to
build too wide and not high enough.
This is one reason why other material
than wood should be used in its con-
struction, as high, narrow silo built OF
wood is very apt to topple over in high
wind. The wood silos have served their
day and generation and made thousands
of dollars for their owners, but do feel
that in many localities some other and
more lasting material should be used.
n iy,n
in quality very fast during the past
twenty wears. This is another reason
why a substitute should be used when
practicable.
Owing to the fact that depth is desir-
able, it is well to let the silo go down
five or six feet below the ground. 1t
does not add largely to the cost and does
add greatly to the capacity of the silo,
as the six feet below the ground are
equivalent to twelve feet at the top. As
to the comparative height and width, l
would say that silo 16 X ~ feet is
very good proportion for dairy of 80 to
40 cows; Ia 40 for smaller herd or
possibly II 40, and in case of small
herd silo 10 IS would answer nicely
when built of cement blocks, brick or
concrete. One can readily see that
these proportions would not be prac-
tical when constructed OF wood. In
constructing silo of cement blocks or
brick il is necessary TO go below the
frost line to insure good foundation.
Many have larger barns than they actual
ly need with silo. IL the barns are
sufficiently high to admit of building
silo inside, much expense can be saved,
as little care need be taken to keep out
frost and the roof can be dispensed with.
Under these conditions the concrete silo
comes nearest to filling the bill. While
il can be built quite cheaply, 1t is not
as nearly frost-proof as some. Under
these conditions, however, this would
not be an objection as 1t is surrounded
by the barn. In building concrete silo
great care should be taken to carry the
walls perpendicularly so that W. hen the
silage settles there will be no air space
at the outside. For instance, II there is
a bow outward in the wall there must
be vacant space where the air will
enter and spoil the silage. The secret
of keeping silsge is in keeping out the
air. The corn heats and this drives out
the air and thus it keeps just as the
fruit in the jar keeps, when the air Is
driven out by applying heat. No pock-
cts should be left that air can enter and
therefore we say carry the walls up
straight and see that they are properly
reinforced by laying in wires while the
walls are being constructed.
For an outside silo, don't believe
one can do better than to use double
brick wall with an air space left be-
tween, only using the large x II hol-
low bricks that give double air space.
Next 10 these, would mention the ce-
ment hollow block silo. This is not.
however, as nearly frost proof as the
silo built of brick. But why say any
thing about building to keep out frost
while we are told by many that freezing
does not greatly iujure silage? While 1t
is true that freezing does not greatly IN
jure silage, provided it is properly thaw-
ed before feeding, it is very unhandy to
get il out when frozen, and considerable
trouble to thaw it out. l do not want
silage lying around my cow barn to thaw
out. should rather take little more
pains in building when it is only once in
life time, than be compelled TO chop
out Sllage anu tdho tuo tiOuOio W thow
il out later. In building of brick or
cement blocks one must take the pre-
caution to get good deep foundation as
mentioned before, and then strongly re-
inforce. As TO cost, double brick wall
will cost slightly more than one made OF
wood of like size. The hollow brick or
cement block silo can be built fully as
chsaply as one of wood where a good
quality of wood is used. The brick or
cement block silos have these advan-
tages: They last almost indefinitely
where well built, freeze less and keep
the silage in better shape, as they are
plastered inside with two coats OF ce-
ment mortar and are absolutely air-tight.
They will not shrink up and dry out or
blow down in windy, dry weather. A
silo is a perfect receptacle for feed and
has come to stay; why not build per-
manertly? l don't mind doing a thing
well at the beginning, but do dislike
having to be eternslly repairing. While
/ think it is always good Judgment to