Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-08-31

tIuns are htBhts ~ - not advisable
to try to construct a pit silo below tn,
permanent water table. However. /,
common practice is TO 20 down 10 TO q
feet, or until water is struck. and thel
put a short silo above ground. Thi.
is a very satisfactory arrangement.
Second: The silo should have I
curb extending two TO three feet be
low, and the same above the ground
! for protection.
Third: The walls of the silo shout,
; be plastered from three-fourths 10 on,
inch thick with a good quality of ce
ment and sand, mixed one of cemenf
to three of sand
Fourth: The walls should be wash.
ed with a thin coat of cement To keer
them air tight and water tight
Fifth: The walls should be made
perpendicular and smooth, SO the sill
age will settle evenly.
Sixth: A good cover provided with
doors should be put on the silo. to
hold the heat in and also to keep the
animals and dirt out.
The Trench Silo
A trench silo may be put in on level
ground or in a bank, and the work all
done with a scraper and pillow. A
trench 80 feet long and eight feet wide
and four feet deep would hold ap-
proximately 10 tons. Good green
feed, corn, sunflowers, or sweet clover.
put in a trench and thoroughly tramp
ed with a team, and covered with dirt
and straw, will spoil very little.
Where it is possible, construct this
pit in a bank; a concrete wall with a
batter of two to three inches 10 the
foot, would make a permanent and
practical silo at a small cost. A
temporary straw cover could be nut
on after the silo was milled. Where
the silage a be fed below the bank,
the silage can be removed on a sled or
cart with very little effort. The front
could be built of concrete with a door
of sufficient width to get the silage
out readily, OF ar overhead track used.
We saw a trench silo in Montana from
the cattle were allowed to eat
the silage. The dirt was thrown off
the top and they went to the silo and
helped themselves.
Building of Pit Silo
The building of the pit siio is a very
process. The first step is to
locate it as nearly as possible to where
the silage is to be fed. If the feeding
is done in the barn, put the siIo at one
end or the side of the barn, or even in
he barn, under the driveway. This
you'd admit of using a common feed
track, which could be extended
Tut over the silo, and the silage raised
With the same apparatus that is ordin-
lrily used for handling other feeds.
\ lean-to or shed can be built over the
lilo to protect it in cold weather.
Laying Out Curb
The actual beginning of the con-
truction of the pit silo is the use
4 a 2x4 or 1x4 a little longer than f:
ne-half the diameter of the silo (:
end of which should be fastened /:
yhere the center of the silo is to be, |:
o it IA be revolved about this point. /:
hen out from the center six feet, a .
0 penny spike can be driven through :
his board and s to 10 inches farther :
ut another spike should be put :
through, for the purpose of making .
marks, 8 to 10 inches apart. After :
evolving this mark about the center,
trench 2 to 3 feet is dug between
nese two marks and filled with con- )
rete the same as for the foundation !,
T a building. This concrete for the
lrb may be made / to 6 or 8 if good
and and gravel are available-and =
nould be put in wet. The inside of /,
he trench should be smooth as this :
i'll be the wall of the silo. !.
After this concrete has set the soil is :
Scavated inside the curb the same as
digging a well. Care should be :,
lken to have a few inches to be trued =
r. by the reamer. When down about
feet a reamer can be installed for Z
ueing down the walls for plastering. y
his reamer is made of a 2x4 with a !
nife at ne end and is revolved about y v
gas pipe held perpendicularly in 4
exact center of the silo. The bot q
I'M of the gas pipe may be set in the "
round and the top held by a 2x4
the silo. The knife cuts away
lie dirt and gives a uniformly true a
all on which to plaster. A mortar n
insisting Of l of cement to 3 of sand :,
~plastered right onto the dirt =,
all. Two good coats Of plaster should q
applied, as it should be three-auar- g.
Is 70 uiit ultH. tuiCk. II the second 81
is not applied at once, the first Il
at should be roughened with an old =,
DOM before it hardens. 9
After the first section of the silo is :,
e and pl~astered. another five feet -
n be excavated and treated in the ~
me way. No ~scaffolding is neces- !;
ry where the silo is completed as :.
Il. If the dirt is liable to cave in ~
the silo is made more than 2 to =
feet across, we would advise using .
and putting in a three or four 81,
n concrete fall from the bottom up
Erect a Derrick
1t is of course necessary to arrange :;
me sort of a derrick for hosting the =.
It. and as there is a great deal to -,
hoisted the arrangement should be o.
III that a horse or engine can be used -;
r this purpose. The figure "a" ~
ist has proven very satisfactory for ~
Is purpose. and is also used later for az
ting out the silage. ~
Cement the Bottom oh
When the silo is completed it is gen. gu
.lI,y alxrsUoh1o 30 INIT &h~ao - -