34 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



it is all right; Lave never spent a dollar on it in repairs. The 

 hoops are round iron drawn up by lugs; have tightened them up 

 but once; there is no trouble iu keeping ensilage iu it; the staves 

 are matched. 



Mr. Smith. — The silo at the Geneva Station is a square one, and 

 has been there eight or nine years. It keeps ensilage well; I do 

 not think there have been many repairs made. But, if I were go- 

 ing to build a wooden silo of any form, I should treat the wood with 

 seme of the various wood preservatives. 



Mr. Woodward. — The best silo I ever saw was in Ontario. It 

 was made of staves, lined with brick and then cemented. It was 

 frost and air proof. If I were going to build a costly silo, I should 

 certainly line it with bricks and cover them with cement. Such a 

 silo will last a lifetime, although more costly than one without 

 bricks and cement. As a rule, the cheap stave silo shrinks and 

 swells, bursts its hoops or blows over. It does not pay to build a 

 cheap silo. 



Question. — Which are preferable for silos, stone and cement 

 or wood ? 



Mr. Lillie. — They are all good, but the stone and cement silo 

 will cost the most, except under very favorable conditions. The 

 silo ought to be 25 to 30 feet deep, but the cost of getting the 

 stone and cement up to that height is too great. I should build 

 a wooden one. Mr. Gurler of Illinois is building silos which 

 are lathed and cemented on the inside. They are said to be very 

 durable and otherwise satisfactory. 



Question. — Is it the best way for me to build my silo in my 

 barn ? 



Mr. Gould. — If I were going to build one of my own, and but 



one, I should build it in the barn. I built mine in the barn because 



I could afford the room, and because I could store seven times more 



I in it than I otherwise could. But ensilage gives off moisture, 



which is unfavorable in a barn. 



Question. — Is there any harm in feeding frozen ensilage to cat- 

 tle: if so, what ? 



Mr. Gould. — ISTo ; but there is no need of feeding frozen ensi- 

 lage. If it has frozen on the outside, rake it into the center, and 

 allow it (d thaw out before feeding. 



Question. — Will the feeding of ensilage cause abortion in cows ? 



Mr. Gould.— l\ T o. 



Question. — Is there sufficient plant food in the average soil to 

 glow a good crop of corn for the silo? 



