The Question Box. 33 



Question. — Would it pay to build a silo if one had but five 

 cows ? 



Mr. Dawley. — If a man has five good cows, he can afford to 

 build a silo. Have it round and deep. About two inches per day, 

 fed from a silo, will keep the ensilage from spoiling. 



Question. — What does it cost to grow ensilage and put it into 

 the silo ? 



Mr. Woodward. — From $1 to $1.75 per ton, depending on the 

 quantity of the crop. 



Question. — What is the best cover for the ensilage after the silo 

 has been filled ? 



Mr. VanAlstyne. — The best cover we have found so far is 

 sawdust. 



Question. — Which is the better, the round or square form of 

 silo; what is the cost per ton capacity? 



Mr. Dawley. — As a rule, I think the stave silo is preferable to 

 the square one. They may be built more cheaply and will last 

 just as long, but they must be well built. Round or flat iron hoops, 

 or cable-iron hoops are used. If one is going to build a silo, he 

 should not, for the purpose of saving a few dollars, build a cheap 

 one. As a choice between the two, pine or hemlock, I believe I 

 should choose the latter. It costs about as much as does pine, but 

 I believe it will last longer than will any other of our native woods. 

 The cost will vary from $1 to $2 per ton capacity. 



Dr. Smead. — The cheapest silo is a round stave one, and re- 

 quires less space. I prefer staves two inches by six, and I should 

 not build one outside the barn, unless the staves were matched. It 

 will require about 1,800 feet of lumber for a silo with a capacity 

 of 50^ tons. Georgia, white or yellow pines make a good silo, so 

 does hemlock, wdiieh is somewhat cheaper than are the pines. 

 Either round or flat iron make good hoops. 



Mr. Benjamin. — I built a silo and used fence wire. Am con- 

 vinced that it is better than the iron hoops, as it shrinks and 

 expands with the silo more easily than do the round iron hoops. 



Question. — Is blue clay a good article for the bottom of a 

 silo? 



Mr. Litchard. — No, sir; it is not. Put in cement. I once put 

 in a clay floor in a silo ; when I had fed out the ensilage I found 

 half a dozen rat-holes. I at once pulled out the clay and put in 

 cement. 



Question. — Which is most durable, a round or square silo ? 



A Farmer. — I have a round one that I have used six years and 

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