Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-11-09

The silo was never so valuable to
the farmer as it is now in furnishing
one of the best means of reducing
feed bills, and it can be made on the
farm with little trouble, of either
wood or concrete, says the United
States department of agriculture,
which will furnish plans and specifi-
cations without cost.
Advantages Of the Silo.
Among the advantages claimed for
the silo, particularly at this time
when the high price of grain threat
ems the very existence of the dairy
industry, is that less grain may be
fed without reducing milk produc-
ton, provided the dairyman feeds
more silage and legume hay. 1t is
pointed out that the building of silos
at this time is like the building of
ships or Notifications; the silo will
help to win the war because it means
the saving of grain.
Less grain is available for the
feeding of cattle, since it is needed
for human food and must be con-
served for that need. Yet milk pro-
duction must be maintained, and this
can be done by supplementing a
shortened grain ration with silage.
The silo offers the best way of pre-
serving the mature corn crop, 40 per
cent of the food value of which is in
the stalks ,and leaves. 1t also saves
the crop which. for any reason. must
be harvested before it is mature.
When the farmer harvests only
the ears of corn he loses nearly half
the value of the crop; when no puts
it into the silo the loss is very small.
! When drought, frost. or insects
threaten a field Of corn before it is
ripe the entire crop may DO lost un-
less the farmer has silo ready in
which to preserve IL.
| Value OF Succulence.
Just as fruits and green vegetables
are canned to supply succulence to
the family during the winter, the silc
supplies succulence to the COW, and
succulence adds to the milk flow
The abundant milk flow obtained
from June pasture is, to largo ex
tent, due to the juices Of the grass
the silo provides a similar juiciness
during the winter when pasture Il
not available.
1t promotes the health of dairy
cattle by providing tho coarse feed
to which the digestive system of the
cow is accustomed. Cows like silagt
and no other feed combines SO wei
with dry hay and grain to produce
much milk at little cost.
Types OF Silo Recommended.
The four types of silo recommend
ed for homo construction arc the
concrete. the stave, the modified Wis
consin, and the wooden-hoop type. al
of which preserve silage equally we'll
The concrete silo has tho advan
tage of permanence and stability
but has q higher initial cost.
The stave silo is cheaply. easily
and quickly constructed, and there
are more of them in the United State:
than of any other type.
The modified Wisconsin is made
of boards nailed laterally on the in
side of studding placed in the form
of circle. and is said to bo more
substantial than the stavo silo.
The wooden-hoop silo require:
somewhat less material than eithel
of the other two types of wooder
silos, and may be built of by 4 incl
tongue-and-groOve flooring, will
hoops of homegrown material, sucf
as oak, elm, ash, or chestnut, from
the farm wood lot.
Anyone who desires to build silt
should call on the extension depart
ment Of his state agricultural colleg,
for any assistance that may be need
ed. If the college is unable to giv'
the desired help. the United States
department of agriculture will fur
nish. free of cost. bills of materials
and specifications for various dimen
SiOnS IF anv ~ tha si1os