The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-11-05
HOW TO BUILD
YOUR OWN oilOS

silo Of the above ground type can use
tho fall days to good advantage by
building pit silo. This type has the
advantage Of not costing much, re.
Quiring cash outlay of not over $50
or $50 for a medium sized silo, and so
the man just starting out can get
the benefits and profits that come
with feeding silage without great ex-
pense. The pit silo, If well made,
will keep silage every bit as good as
the more expensive above ground
types, though of course, it must be
recognized that the work of getting
the silage out in feeding is a little
more difficult.
It is boon for the dry farmer and
the homesteader, for the silo enables
them to use their crops to better ad-
vantage. For the dry farmer, espe-
cially, the pit silo has proven a bless
ing, for it aids him to save his crops
in time of extreme drought, to get 4
greater net tonnage of feed from his
fields in all years, and encourages the
keeping of livestock and therefore =
more profitable farming, thus bring
ing about more contented and per-
manent community.
Build During Fall
The pit silo should be built during
the fall in order TO use the time then
available and to insure that the silo
will be there when needed. If the
building is delayed until spring or
summer, the farmers work is then
SO great that time to build the silo
cannot be found, so the silo does not
go up at least not in time to receive
the crops in best condition. II the dry
farmer has his silo ready by spring,
then IT extreme drought comes he can
ensile his corn, milo maize or kaffir
corn at once and save the crop. He
thus saves an abundance of feed for
the coming year.
The pit silo is simple in construc-
ton. One precaution TO be observed,
however, is that it mustbe built where
there is danger Of seepage water. and
may therefore not be practical for all
farms in irrigated regions. It cannot,
OF course, be built again IN loose soil.
In building, collier Of concrete six
inches thick and two or three feet
above ground is first built. Then the
earth from the inside is taken out. ar6
further excavation made to a depth
Of four or five feet below the concrete,
The sides are now plastered with ::
cement plaster of one part cement to
Two or two and a half parts sand.
Successive layers should be plastered
On until the whole coat is about one
nch in thickness. Then more ground
Is dug out again to a convenient
1epth, and the plastering continued.
IN this way no staging is needed and
firm footing to work on is afforded
10 insure a smooth wall and a uni
'orm diameter, a shave knife may be
swung on pole from a center neg
Is compass, to dress down the sides
before plastering. The earth may be
removed in half barrels, or buckets
et down from a block on a tripod. A
hay fork track may be used to good
advantage to facilitate carrying the
llrt away from the excavation.
Others Obtain Results
This type of silo has put new hope
n the hearts of hundreds of farmers
n the more or less arid regions If
western Nebraska and Kansas, and
eastern Colorado, FOR, not only does
t save the crop in bad years. but It
enables the farmers to grow more live
stock and therefore have larger farm
Incomes. There are many many
arms in southern Idaho where the nit
lilo would also prove great benefit.
We can get good yields of certain
'ilage crops in many non-irrigated
and larger and surer in.
come If these are ensiled and fed to
sheep, steers or cows.
The farmer who is going to build
concrete silo of the above ground
type can we'll use the spare time of
all in order to be sure that his silo
Will be ready next year. Much OF
Dur corn went into the silo in poor
shape this year because the silo was
not ready in time In the fall, while
me roads are good. gravel may be
Aauled, for use in summer or. II
'reezing does not occur, the silo NAV
'e actually built. It takes from -
10 IA days Of six to eight hours each.
IT.