240 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing prices of all kinds of wood have directed the attention of farmers 

 to the use of other materials in silo construction. 



Little need be said concerning the stave silo. The number of these 

 silos erected annually and the general satisfaction expressed by the 

 owners are indications of their efficiency. In some cases the farmer 

 purchases his own materials and constructs the silo himself, but he 

 generally buys the ready made silo and in view of the growing scarcity 

 of lumber and the difficulty of procuring proper material at the general 

 lumber yard, the latter way would appear to be the most advisable. 

 There are a number of reliable firms manufacturing stave silos. 



Suggestions may be offered at this point: 



HoAvever open the cracks between staves may be Avhile the silo is 

 empty, these cracks should be closed when the silo is filled. Other- 

 wise losses must occur because of penetration of air through the cracks 

 into the ensilage. Hence the importance of intelligent tightening of the 

 hoops. 



Every unsound stave should be rejected when selecting lumber with 

 which to build a stave silo or in purchasing a ready made one. Sap- 

 wood and worm eaten pieces are unfit for silo construction. The writer 

 recently inspected the staves of a silo, erected seven years ago, which 

 was being moved to a new foundation. One stave, defective as in- 

 dicated above, was too badly rotted to be of further use. The other 

 staves were in a good state of preservation except for some rotting 

 at the lower ends Avhich rested on the foundation. Staves of silos 

 rot most rapidly at the lower end, — where they come in contact with 

 the foundation. If before setting up, the lower six or eight inches of 

 the staves could be thoroughly treated with warm coal tar or, better 

 perhaps with carbolineum, their durability would be considerably in- 

 creased. 



For several years past there has been a growing interest in cement 

 as a material for silo construction. Silos of cement have been con- 

 structed in several parts of the state. Reports concerning their ef- 

 ficiency have been conflicting, and numerous theories have been set 

 forth as .to why they should or should not produce good ensilage. Numer- 

 ous questions cnmc to \is (oncerning the possibilities of ceimMit silos, 

 materials required, methods of construction, etc. 



While Ihere is much more to learn concerning cement silos and cement 

 silo construction, it has been proven that durable efficient silos can 

 be made and are being made of cement. Such silos are in use and 

 possess all of the essential <j[ualities named on page 2."'.(i. 



Below are given descriptions of seven cement silos in use in different 

 parts of the state. 



THE BOARDMAN SILO. 



So far as the writer knows the first cement silo in the state was 

 erected on the farm of J. W. Boardman, which is upon the Clinton 

 Road, northwest of and a short distance from the city limits of Jack- 

 son. See Fig. 4. This silo is of the solid wall kind and was built in 

 the summer of 1902. It is now seven years old and has been filled seven 

 times. The inside diameter is IG feet. The height of wall above floor 

 is 24 feet. The lower sixteen feet of the wall ranges from a little 

 Kore than 8 inches below ground to 8 inches above ground. The upper 



