Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-07-27
prepared by the United states Department
or Agriculture.)

prepared by the United states Department
or Agrtculture.)
With the approach of the time for
hlling the silo the United States De-
partment OF Agriculture calls attention
to the desirability of putting silos in
shape and making plans for filling
which will save valuable time in the
rush OF work. Silos are compare
lively new feature Of farm manage
ment, and in many cases have been
built less substantial than some of the
older forms Of farm structure
Sifos Need Occasional Attention.
Even the best constructed silos will
need some attention occasionally. Con-
crete silos, which are among the most
expensive of construction, require
the least attention as a general rule,
but they will give better service If
the inside is given a coat of special
paint about once in three years. Paint
for treating the interiors of silos is
easily made of new coal tar mixed with
gasoline and applied with a tar brush
Wooden silos, either stave or board
construction, require additional atten-
ton. The hoops of stave silos should
be frightened and any defective pieces
of wood replaced. In wood silos, par
ticularly the cheaper ones and those
of home make, there is always the
likelihood of inlets for air. which will
spoil the silage If the silO is so
built as to require guy wires. these
should be frightened to keep the build
ing plumb and we'll braced TO with
stand winds
Small Bundles Easier to Handle.
Careful attention should be paid to
seeing that the machinery to be used
in harvesting and storing the silage is
in working condition. Corn harvest
ers and silo-filling machinery are fire.
quently owned in partnership by sew
eral farmers and. of course, arrange
ments need to be made in advance to
see that all the owners get their corn
In at the season when it is in best
shape. In using the corn harvester
the bundles should be made rather
small. While this takes more time,
the extra expense is more than offset
by the ease in handling the bundles
and feeding them into the silage cut
ter.
The corn ordinarily is hauled to the
cutter on common. fiat hayracks. The
low-wheeled wagon is much preferred
to the high one. An underslung rack
can be constructed with comparative
ease and will save much labor The
rack consists of two by 9 inch bed
pieces, 10 or 20 feet in length
bolted together at the end to form
v. On top of these timbers is built
rack 8 feet In width The bottom
of this rack is about,8 feet long. The
end boards are feet high, built
fiaring so they do not quite touch
the wheels.
The apex Of the V is suspended be-
low the front axle of an ordinary
farm wagon by means of long king
bolt. The other ends are attached
below the hind axle by U-shaped
clevises. The materials needed in its
construction are 80 board feet of
by 6 inch planks, 90 feet of boards
/ by II inches. % feet of lumber
2 by 4 inches, one long. kingbolt, two
stirrup rods, and bolts and nails.
SiIage Cutter Needs to Be Strong.
If the silage cutter and lifting ma
chinery have not been selected every
effort should be made to get ma
chinery which has sufficient or ex-
cess capacity. The mistake is often
made of getting an outfit that is too
small, thus making the operation Of
filling the silOs slow and interfering
with the continuous employment of
the entire force of men. number
Of satisfactory silage cutters are on
the market The chief features TO
be considered in a cutter are that II
is strongly made and will cut fine.
Opinions differ as to the fineness to
which silage should be cut. The length
varies from one-fourth to one inch.
The latter is a little too long, as the
pieces do not pack so closely in the
silO, and they are not so completely
consumed in feeding as the shorter
lengths. On the other hand, the
itiStt TIRE lltttN iiN iublt IdlfluiA- lut
corn can be run through the cutter
Fine cutting and thorough tramping
are needed if it is desired to make the
best quality of silaee and fill the silc
TO its greatest capacity.
Two types of eleN are in uses
the OId-style chain carrier and tn
blower The chain carrier requires
less power but is harder to set up
and makes more litter, especially in
windy weather though some chain car
riers are so inclosed as to keep the
corn from blowing olt. In using the
blower type the blower should be
placed as nearly perpendicular as pos
sible.
Harvest Corn Before Fully Ripe.
Ordinarily. corn should be harvested
for the sllo about a .Eeek or ten days