THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 493 



WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. 

 President : It is nearly a half hour past the time set on the 

 programme for us to begin, you will, therefore, please come to 

 order at once, and Mr. W. B. Barney of Hampton, will speak 

 about "Silos for Iowa Dairymen." 



THE SILO FOR THE IOWA DAIRYMAN. 



TP. B. Barney, Hampton, Ioua. 



It was with reluctance that I permitted the use of my name on your 

 programme after having recently addressed the State Farmers' Institute 

 on the same subject. However, I appreciate the honor conferred and as 

 my interests are all identified with those of the dairymen of our state, 

 I felt I could not refuse to comply with the wishes of your executive 

 committee. 



A silo is a cheap means of canning green feed on a large scale. 

 After using one for the last seven years on my dairy and breeding farm, 

 I must say that I would hardly know how to do without it. 



I can hardly conceive of conditions such as would make a silo on 

 a dairy farm an unprofitable investment. As to the kind each must choose 

 for himself that which is best suited to his wants, and the means at his 

 command for its construction. 



Like all other farm buildings I think it pays to use good material 

 and make it substantial. The location of the silo should be such as to be 

 accessible to the feed alleys in the barn. The man is fortunate who 

 has a bank barn, and can build his silo on the up hill side with bottom 

 not more than three or four feet below the feeding floor, using stone 

 laid in cement for the lower section or part that is in the ground twelve 

 or fourteen feet. There is a great saving of power in filling, as the 

 length of the elevator will be lessened fifteen or twenty feet. Where stone 

 or brick is cheaD either of these materials make a most excellent silo. 



In the dairy districts of Wisconsin where silos have been in general 

 use for some years, they are nearly all round and built of wood with a 

 five or six foot wall under them. About three or four feet of this wall is 

 in the ground, on top of the wall 2x4's are set twelve inches apart center 

 to center of proper length. The inside lining is of No. 1 fencing resawed 

 and dressed at the mill. Two layers are used, with P. & B. acid and water 

 proof paper between. 



For outside rabbeted house siding is used. If silo is more than twenty 

 feet in diameter, a layer of same material as is used for inner lining is 

 put under this siding to give additional strength on account of the pres- 

 sure which is increased as the diameter grows larger. 



The last silo I built is of this pattern and it is entirely satisfactory. 

 Some are lathing this kind of a silo and plastering with a coat of cement. 

 I can do this at any time when the inner wall shows signs of decay, as 

 all wood walls will do in time, on account of the action of the juices of the 



