254 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The saw cut in the end of two or three and a piece of g'alvanized 

 iron, and they are put in in that way. It is simply to keep them 

 from turning. Wlien your silage is in there the pressure is so 

 great that it would he rather tight without them, in all proha- 

 ])ility; but we put these in there and never have had any trouble 

 with the silo, and have used it for five years. 



Mr. Taylor: How is }'our other joining made? 



Answer: Two by six. When they are put up they are a little 

 tig-hter, but the difference is very little. 



AIr. Taylor: I have heard it said that the joints should be 

 perfectly tight., 



Answer: At filling time, if you stood outside of our silo you 

 would think it would never hold silage in the world. You can 

 see through it in every direction; but twenty-four hours after the 

 corn is in there it is as tight as a bottle and we have never lost a 

 bushel of silage with that kind of silo. 



Mr. Taylor : Some men have suggested that it be lined with 

 l^aper, and all that. 



Answer : That is true ; seme people may have mcniey to burn 

 and if they want to use it that way they may; but we have demon- 

 strated to our satisfaction that we can keep silage perfectlv in the 

 cheapest kind of silo. Our silo, sixteen by thirty feet. l)uilt five 

 years ago, cost us $140, roof and everything else. 



Mr. Carpenter: After you take the ensilage out, will it 

 shrink ? 



Answer: It will shrink and I believe that is no detriment, for 

 this reason — to sa\-e that timber and keep it from decaying, the 

 sooner it is perfectly dry the better and if it shrinks and the air 

 passes between the boards the drier it gets and the longer it will 

 last. , Oiu" has been in use for five years and, as I have stated 

 before, I have not yet seen a particle of decay. 



Mr. Carpenter: You say the silo is east of the barn? 



Answer: No, at the south end of the barn. I would recom- 

 mend that you put your silo at the south end. The north and 

 west winds in Minnesota, and probably in Iowa, are cold and 

 you will have less trouble with freezing on the south side, if 

 practicable to put it there. 



