Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-01-13
HOW To BUILD A S|LO
Care Should Be Exercised That
Diameter Is Correct.
Advice Given by Experts of Depart
ment of Agricuiture-Truc< Soils
Of Atlantic Coast Reeion-Pctato
Culture Requirements.
prepared by the United States De-
partment of AGricuture.)


partment of Agricuiture.)
In determining the size of stave
silo, the first thing to be considered is
the diameter, and this depends upon
the number of ca tile to be fed. When
the diameter of silo is too great the
silage is not fed eff rapidly enough to
prevent some OF it from spelling.
This is particularly true when silage
is fed IN summer. Care should there
fore be taken that the diameter of
the silo is not too greet for the num-
Der of cows to be led from It,
The foregoing advice is given by ex-
perts of the United States department
of agriculture, on how to build a
stave silo. From 80 to 40 pounds of
silage per cow per day should be pro-
vided for average dairy cows during
the time when no other green feed is
available. After the diameter of
silo has been determined The next
consideration is the number OF tons
of silage that will be needed and this
depends on the length of the silage
feeding season. The silo should be
located If possible so as to open into
the feed room.
To lay out the foundation for the
silo, drive stake in the ground in
the center of the proposed silo. Saw
of this stake at the height desired
for the foundation wall which should
be at least one foot above the ground
on the high side if the ground is slop-
ing. One end of a straight 2xi inch
scantling. q little longer than is nee
essary to reach from the center On the
silo to the outside OF the foundation
wall should be nailed on top of the
stake with 40-penny spike The
thickness of the wall should vary from
10 to IS inches, depending upon the
size of the silo, the material of the
foundation. and the ground on which
it is located. The inside of the founda-
ton should be at least two inches
nearer to the center of the silo than
the inside of the slaves. The material
of the foundation should be of stone,
brick or concrete.
II the earth in the bottom Of the
silo is firm and comparatively dry, no
provision need be made for drainage,
and a concrete floor is unnecessary.
Still, such a floor makes the silo cas-
Ter to clean and makes it impossible
for rats to burrow underneath the
foundation wall and gain access to the
silage.
The hoops should be made of three
fourths, flve-eighths and one-half inch
rods. in sections from 10 to IA feet in
length. The ends of these rods
should be threaded for six inches so
that they may be lined together by
means of Jugs. Two hoops should be
placed below the first door, two be-
tween doors all the way up, and two
above the top door, if this space is
more than two feet; If less than two
feet, one will be sufficient. Three or
four hoops should at first be put on at
the bottom and frightened up Planlis
can then be thrown across the top OF
the silo to serve as a scaffold, so that
the top hoop may be put around the
silo loosely, within reach of the
ground. after which they are pushed
UP to the proper position with stats,
and made fast by stapling them to the
silo from n ladder.
1t is sometimes very difficult to get
Tugs for the hoops. In such cases
four by six inch timbers may be put
in instead of ordinary slaves at the
three or four points where the hoops
viii join. These timbers should be
placed with the four-inch face flush
with the slaves On the inside and they
will extend four inches beyond the
wall on the outside. Through the out
side projections holes should be bored
to receive the hoops and the ends
may be fastened with nuts. Large iron
washers should be used under the
nuts