Jan. 2, 1908. J JigricuCtural Gazette of N.S.W, 37 



The Titanic Asbestos Silo. 



F. a. CHOMLEY. 



The Ignited States of America is undoubtedly the lioiue of the modern 

 silo : there the wooden tul) silo holds sway ; but there they are fortunate in 

 having a supply of timber suitable for this purpose, while our hardwoods 

 are not well adapted for staves for a tub silo. 



Concrete and ferro-eonerete (concrete strengthened with iron rods or 

 lathing) are also becoming connnon, and where the materials are obtain- 

 able at a fair rate, tliis form of silo is as nearly perfect as anything yet 

 introduced, being practically indestructible. 



These materials are not available here at a price that enables the average 

 farmer to make use of them for silo building, except in special cases. 

 Moreover, ferro-concrete requires very careful workmanship, unless the 

 walls are very thick ; it would l)e without the scope of an ordinary farmer 

 to make use of his own lal)our or that of his employees. 



Our native hardwoods enjoy a reputation for durability under circum- 

 stances that would cause speedy decay in most of the soft imported tim- 

 bers, which makes them of great value for framework for silos of which 

 the walls are formed of some kind of sheeting, to make an air-tight silo. 



In Victoria a form of silo consisting of an outer framework of circular 

 shape, Iniilt of hardwood lined with tlat iron, is largely used, l)ut lias not 

 been an lUKiualified success, except that any sort of a silo is a tremendous 

 advance over no silo at all. 



During the last year or so there has been introduced to these States a 

 form of cement sheeting that is admirably suited to lining a wooden frame 

 for silo construction, and was first referred to in tliis journal in Octoljer, 

 lOOC), l)y Mr. E. G. Stone, C.E., wlio designed and erected the first one 

 on ins property at Werrington, near St. Mary's. These sheets are mainly 

 a mixture of cement and as1>estos ; they are strong, durable, fire and acid 

 proof, are splendid non-conductors of heat, and are of large size. 



A silo built of liardwooil framing and cement sheets has the advantage 

 of simplicity of construction, and is free from tlie disadvantages the iron 

 sheets are subject to. 



Silage made in an air-tight silo of non-conducting material is of 

 uniform quality right up to the edge. This is not the case with iron- 

 sheeted silos, as the following extract taken from an article dealing with 

 .'w'r. A. Foster's Boisadale Estate, Gippsland. Victoria, published in the 

 A}i^ir(il<i><ian^ 9th November, 1907, will show : — 



Latterly Mr. Foster lias been following the system of construction advocated by the 

 Department of Agriculture, and most of the large cylindrical tubs are of iron. But he 



