r»50 Rkport of the Fikst Assistant 'f>p the 



boarded horizontally with matched hemlock, and again with 

 matched ]»iue, tarred building paper being between the two cov- 

 erings of boards. The outside is covered with good quality of 

 hemlock flooring. In the basement there is a door near the cor- 

 ner of tln^ silo through whicli the silage is taken when low 

 enough. A trap is over this in the main floor of the barn and 

 two doors in the silo above in line make convenient the removal 

 of silage and the filling in the fall. In this silo about 120 tons 

 can be put and a tirsit-class product obtained. The walls are not 

 quite firm enough, however, and the springing caused by the 

 pressure when filling is enough to admit some air as the mass of 

 silage settles and causes considerable loss from decay tluit would 

 not occur if the walls were more rigid. 



The accompanying illustration. Fig. 1, shows the common 

 method of boarding up a rectangular wooden silo, a sheathing of 

 paper going between the two courses of boards. The partitions 

 at the corners can be put across after the first course of boards in- 

 stead of after the vertical second lining is in place, as shown in 

 the illustration. 



There are other styles of rectangular silos having rigid frame- 

 work of strong horizontal girders, sometimes formed of three 

 2 X 10-inch planks spiked together. These have certain advan- 

 tages. With any form of construction, however, especial atten- 

 tion should be given to securing a strong and inflexible frame- 

 work. This should be stronger below the middle of the silo 

 where the greatest pressure is found. The sills should be fastened 

 to the foundation walls by heavy bolts imbedded firmly in the 

 walls. The joints of the frame can be strengthened and hori- 

 zontal girders held firmly together a( the corners by short cross 

 braces which will serve as backing lo tlu^ boarding across the 

 corners. 



Location. 



The silo should stand where the ground is dry and well under- 

 drained, naturally or artificially, and protected from all exposure 

 to water fi-om the outside. In a favorable location the silo can 



