The Construction of the Stave Silo. 483 



maintained except for the hoops at the top of the silo which may 

 be four feet apart. The hoops should be drawn fairh' tight before 

 the silo is filled but not perfectly tight. They must be tight 

 enough to close up the space between the staves thus preventing 

 any foreign matter from getting into the cracks which would pre- 

 vent the staves from closing up as they swell, thus allowing air 

 to enter. To hold both the hoops and the staves in place during 

 the summer when the silo is empty, staples should be driven over 

 the hoops into the staves. If a sufficient number of staples are 

 used they will prevent the sagging or dropping down of the 

 hoops and they will hold the staves securely in place. 



The hoops should be watched very closely for a few days after 

 the silo is filled. If the strain becomes quite intense the nuts 

 should be slightly loosened. If during the summer when the silo 

 is empty and the staves thoroughh^ dry the hoops are tightened 

 so that the staves are drawn closely together, when the silo is 

 filled and the wood absorbs moisture and begins to swell, the 

 hoops must be eased somewhat to allow for the expansion. If a 

 silo is constructed of thoroughly seasoned lumber and the hoops 

 are drawn tight before filling' when the silo -is filled the hoops 

 must be loosened slightly or there is danger that the hoops will 

 break or the thread will be stripped. 



In one case a silo was allowed to dry out -in the summer and 

 fall down when by the use of staples or a few minutes spent in 

 tightening the hoops, it might have been prevented. Another 

 silo met with disaster due to the fact that the hoops were drawn 

 perfectly tight on a dry silo and were not loosened when the silo 

 was filled. The result was the hoops broke. A little judgment 

 and care should be exercised with this as with all other farm 

 operations. 



Doors for the stave silo. — The doors should be located on the 

 side of the silo most convenient for feeding. They may be in 

 line, one directly above the other or they may be placed any- 

 where fancy or convenience dictates. If doors are placed one 

 above the other the short pieces of staves should be well secur'ed 

 to the hoops by staples. The lower door should be between the 

 second and third hoops at the bottom and other doors will usually 

 be needed in every second space between there and the top except 



