II April, 1910.] 



.4 Home-made Silo. 



215 



A HOME-MADE SILO. 



T . Geinmell, Dairy Supervisor. 



A typical example of what can be done by the exercise of a little 

 energy is shown in the results that have accrued from the erection of a 

 home-made silo on Mr. Frederick Boddy's farm at Seymour. Mr. Boddy's 

 .silo, which was built two years ago, is of 50 tons' capacity, and was con- 

 structed almost entirely bv him.self (see illustration). He used 44 sheets of 

 corrugated galvanized iron, fastened to wooden upright supports with |-inch 

 bolts, 13 bolts to the sheet. There are 9 uprights (4 in. x 4 in.) 22 feet 

 in length, w'ith a few bands of fencing wire wound around. Over all a bark 

 roof was constructed. The whole structure rests on a cement floor. 



GALV.\XIZED IRON SILO, MR. F. BODDV S FARM. 



The crop for ensiling is conveyed to the silo by means of an ordinary 

 elevator, after it has been chaffed by a cutter driven by a 6-h.p. Tangyes' oil 

 engine. The cost of the silo and elevator was about jQ2o, whilst that of 

 engine power works out at about is. per working hour. The silo is filled 

 in about seven days, the stuff being w^ell trampled during the filling, and 

 finally weighted with about 2 tons of stone. 



As to the results from feeding his dairy herd on silage, Mr. Eoddv is 

 emphatic. He says he immediately noticed an increased supplv of milk. 

 He had as good a supply of milk and cream in March through feeding 

 his cows with silage as he had in the middle of spring under ordinary 

 conditions. All his cows took to the new food readily. The crop for 

 the silo consists of 4 parts oats, 2 parts Cape barlev, 2 parts tares, 2 parts 

 tick beans, and i part rye. 



The silo is erected close to the milking sheds, and the fodder needs 

 to be carried but a few yards to the cows. Thus, regular feeding is facili- 

 tated, and instead of taking the herd half a mile awav, each cow is fed in 

 the bail and gets her proper supply. Mr. Boddy states there is little, if 



