EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII. 277 



Figuring more closely, and comparing the digestible feeding nutrients 

 which indicate more nearly than anything else the value of a foodstuff, 

 we find that one ton of clover hay contains 886 pounds of total digestible 

 nutrients, eight tons of corn silage contains 2,064 pounds. Thus it is 

 that two and one-third times as many digestible feeding nutrients can be 

 stored in the same silo space as in the haymow. Summing up, then, we 

 find that to furnish storage space for feed in substitute of a silo having 

 a capacity of 100 tons of silage, a hay barn with a capacity of 800 tons 

 would be required, or a hay barn having a capacity of 233 tons to store 

 the same amount of digestible feeding nutrients, or a barn with a capa- 

 city of 200 tons to store the same amount of dry matter as a silo holding 

 100 tons of ensilage. Determine the cost of a hay barn with a capacity of 

 from 200 to 233 tons of clover hay, add to this the extra advantage of 

 supplying succulense to the cow's winter ration and the real value of a 

 100-ton silo readily becomes apparent. 



In selecting the site for erecting the silo the following considerations 

 should be kept in mind. First, the silo should not be placed in the barn 

 where the cows are milked nor close to the milk room or the silage odors 

 will be present to contaminate the milk at milking periods. Second, it 

 should be so placed as to be convenient to feed from. To accomplish both 

 these results perhaps no better plan can be practiced than to erect the 

 silo four or five feet from one end of the feeding alley and connected 

 to the barn with a corridor, the door of which closes tightly and pro- 

 hibits all silage odors from entering the cow barn except at feeding times, 

 which should always occur after milking. A third and less important 

 consideration should be that of adding rather than detracting from the 

 appearance of the farm buildings. 



When selecting the silo itself the following points should be considered: 



1st. Shape. 



2d. It should be of proper size in all dimensions to conform with the 

 size of the herd to be fed from it. 



3d. It should be of such a character that it will preserve the silage 

 to best advantage. 



4th. It should be built of such quality of material as will make it sub- 

 stantial and long lived. 



5th. Its cost should be in reach of the purchaser. 



When silos and silage first came into use in this country they were 

 invariably built rectangular or square and shallow. Then it was neces- 

 sary to weight the silage down to keep it from spoiling. Later it was 

 learned that greater depth would remove the necessity of weighting, but 

 still the silage in the corners would spoil because it could not be packed 

 in tight enough to exclude all air. The next improvement was that of 

 boarding across the corners, making an octagonal interior. This was bet- 

 ter, but not yet successful and the idea of the round silo was gained, thus 

 eliminating all corners or air space for silage to spoil and the losses in- 

 curred by the air coming in contact with the contents of the silo were 

 reduced to a minimum. Less lumber is required to build a circular silo 

 of a like capacity than a square one and the material need not be so 

 strong to prevent bulging and pulling apart, so that the circular silo is 

 not only the more eflicient type, but should be a great deal the cheaper. 



