Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-06-05
cOmpIe+s sIIo With Chute.

In determining the size OF a silo
the first thing to be considered is the
diameter, and this depends on the
number Of cattle to be fed. When the
diameter of a silo is too great the
silage is not fed of rapidly enough to
keep it from spelling. This is par
ticularly true when silage is fed in
summer. Care should therefore be
taken that the diameter of the silo
be not too great for the number of
cows to be fed from It, says the de-
partment of agriculture.
From thirty to forty pounds Of silage
per cow per day should be pro
vided for average dairy cows during
the time when no other green food is
available. The amount varies accord
ing to the quantity and quality of
dry forage used. After the diameter
of the silo has been decided upon 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. A convenient
height for silo above the foundation
is twice it's diameter; but sometimes
1t is necessary for a silo of small di.
ameter to be higher than this. In such
case 1t should be we'll braced. The
silo should, IL possible, be located SO
as to open into the feed room. II
such an arrangement is impracticable
it should be located near the barn al
some other point and connected with
the barn or with the feed room by &
covered passageway.
The Foundation.
To lay out the foundation, drive 6
stake in the ground at the center o.
the proposed silo. Saw off this stake
at the height desired for the founda
ton wall, which should be at least
one foot above the ground on the higf
side, II the ground is sloping.
The thickness of the wall SHOULD
vary from ten to eighteen inches, de
pending upon the size of the silU, thu
material of the foundation, and thu
ground on which it is located. Thu
inside of the foundation wall shoult
be at least six inches nearer to thu
center OF the silo than the inside o
the slaves.
Materials ana CONSTRUCTION.
The material of the foundation ma.
be of stone, brick or conc .ete, Con
| crete is preferable under most condi
tons. Where stone or brick is to b
| used the earth in the bottom of tn
| silo, except where the center stalk
stands, may be dug out before tn
wall is built, thus giving additions
l I'll Ill fr,er
venience in building the wall. TIL
| earth should not be dug out deepe
than four inches above the bottom c
! the wall. With a concrete feundatio
this excavation must not be made Vi
| til the wall is finished and the pos
! ton Of the slaves marked on the to
OF the wall.
Stone may be conveniently use
when the foundation will not exten
more than one or two feet above tn
surface of the ground. 1t should b
laid in cement mortar In such mai
ner that the inner surface will b
smooth and the top level.
Brick.
Where hard-burned brick can be 8
cured cheapiy. as is often the cas-
near brickyards, they can frequently
used to advantage for foundation
They should be laid In cement morta
with the inner surface of the wa
smooth and the top level II the wa
extends more than one foot above tt
surface, 1t should be reinforced by la
Ing No. wire. or its equivalent, Q
every second course of brick aboV
the surface of the ground.
Concrete.
For a concrete foundation, 3 ditto
must be dug before any of the cart
in the center is removed. The cart
between the two lines that mark IL
inside and outside of the foundatiC
should be taken out until firm grour
below frost line is reached. care beir
taken to cut the sides OF the ditC
down straight and to leave the be
tom level.
Preparing the Concrete.
FOR mixing the concrete. a b
about four feet wide. eight feet loI
and one foot deep may be used. or
simple floor or platform six by Il
: feet will suffce. To measure the N
terials, an empty barrel preferably
cement barreD with both en-
knocked out will be most convenieI
First measure up sand enough for
batch of convenient size, and sprel
It on the floor or platform. Measu
up the cement. spread it over {
sand and, with hoe or shovel. N
them until no streaks appear III
mixture - then built uD into low c
: cular pile with a crater-like basin
: the center. Into this crater" po
water and. by drawing in the d
, mixture from all sides with hoe. q