The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-01-16
HOW TO BU|LDA S|LO
Care Should Be Exercised That
Diameter Is Correct.
Advice Given by Experts Of Depart
ment of Asriculture-Truck Soils
OF Atlantic Coast Resion-Potato
Culture Requirements.
prepared by the United States De
partment of Agriculture.)

Pat hnSH6 VI fN8TiCuituTG-I
In determining the size of a staye
silo, the first thing to be considered is
the diameter, and this depends upon
the number of cattle to be fed. When
the diameter of silo is too great the
silage is not fed off rapidly enough to
prevent some of 1t 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 great for the num-
Der of cows to be fed 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 a
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 siIage
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 a stake in the ground in
the center of the proposed silo. Saw
off this stake at the height desired
for the foundation wall, which should
be at least one foot above the ground
on the high side IL the ground is slop-
ing. One end of straight 2x4 inch
scantling, little longer than is nee
essary to reach from the CENTER of the
silo to the outside of the foundation
wall should be nailed on top of the
stake with a 40-penny spike. IT,
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.
| If the earth in TIE bottom OF the
silo Is firm and comparatively dry, nc
provision need be made for dra mage
and 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 ths
silage.
The hoops should be made of three
fourths, five-eighths and one-half incl
rods, in sections from 10 to IA feet il
length. The ends of these rod!
should be threaded for six inches 81
that they may be timed together b!
means Of Tugs. Two hoops should b.
placed below the first door, two be
| tween doors all the way up, and tive
above the top door, If this space il
more than two feet; IL less than tw'
feet, one will be sufficient Three O
four hoops should at first be put on a
the bottom and frightened up. Plank
can then be thrown across the top o
the silo to serve as scaffold, so tina
the top hoop may be put around tn
silo loosely, within reach of tn
ground, after which they are pushe
up to the proper position with stats
and made fast by stapling them to tn
silo from ladder.
It is sometimes very difficult to ge
Jugs for the hoops. In such case
four by six inch timbers may be pu
in instead of ordinary slaves at tn
three or four points where the hoop
will join. These timbers should b
placed with the four-inch face fus
with the slaves on the inside and the
will extend four inches beyond tn
wall on the outside. Through the on
side projections holes should be bore
to receive the hoops and the end
may be fastened with nuts. Large iro
washers should be used under tn
nuts.