Silo Construction in Nebraska 7 



ESSENTIALS OF A WELL-DESIGNED SILO. 



The essential features of a well-designed silo can be summed 

 up briefly as follows : 



1. The walls should be practically air-tight. 



2. The inner surfaces of the wall should be smooth and perpen- 

 dicular. 



3. The inner surfaces of the walls should be free from corners. 

 Round silos are more efficient and economical than other types. 



4. The walls should be sufficiently non-conducting to prevent 

 excessive freezing, especially so when the silage is to be fed 

 during cold weather. 



5. The walls should be sufficiently firm or sufficiently well 

 anchored to prevent cracking due to settling or racking due to 

 wind. 



6. The doors should be so designed that a minimum amount of 

 silage has to be removed before they can be opened. 



7. A good ladder should be provided with steps from 15 inches 

 to 18 inches apart and at least 3J inches away from the silo or 

 walls of the chute. 



8. The foundation should be heavy, well made, and reach 

 below the frost line. 



9. A good roof makes the silo more durable, adds greatly to 

 its appearance, and if tight assists materially in keeping the 

 sil-ige from freezing. 



Silos which have the above features will be found convenient, 

 cause little trouble, and. when properly filled, will keep the silage 

 in perfect condition. 



TYPES OF SILOS. 



1. Pit silos, built partially or wholly below ground. 



2. Silos above ground, built of wood or of masonry. 



The stave silo is the most common of the wood type in Ne- 

 braska. 



The masonry silo is commonly built of: 

 Concrete hollow blocks. 

 Clay blocks or hollow brick. 

 Solid concrete poured into a form, sometimes called the 



"monolithic silo.' 7 

 Concrete plastered on metal lath. 



All masonry silos should be reinforced with steel, and when 

 so reinforced are the most permanent and most economical form 

 of above-ground construction. 



