LOCATION OF AND BUILDING THE SILO. 17 



a general thing, afford the outlay of a few hundreds of 

 dollars. Before going into the particulars of building, it 

 may be well to consider what a silo is expected to do, 

 whatever may be the plan. In speaking of ensilage, we 

 now have reference to the preservation of fodder corn by 

 the method though, as will be seen, other farm crops 

 and products may be preserved in a similar manner. 

 The fodder corn, cut small, is packed in a receptacle 

 which is perfectly tight, so that it will not allow water to 

 enter from without, or gases to escape from within. 

 Could a glass jar be made of sufficient size it would be a 

 perfect silo. Large capacity, with perfectly air-tight and 

 water-tight walls, being the objects in view, the structure 

 will vary according to the locality and surroundings. In 

 some places a silo can be most cheaply built of stone ; in 

 other places brick will be found the most available mate- 

 rial. In other localities still, concrete will be cheaper 

 than either stone or brick, and just as good. These, 

 stone, brick, and concrete, are all well understood build- 

 ing materials, and where one has the means to allow him 

 to avail himself of them, are no doubt the best. But 

 those who can not command either of these should not 

 be deprived of the benefits of ensilage. There are several 

 accounts of successful preservation of fodder corn in silos 

 excavated in a bank of heavy clay soil, in which the 

 fodder corn was packed directly against the earthern 

 walls. We do not recommend this method, as there are 

 many chances of failure. There are many localities 

 where the soil is of such a character that cisterns for 

 rain-water are built by making an excavation of proper 

 size and shape, and covering its interior with one or more 

 coats of cement mortar directly upon its earthern walls. 

 Wherever cisterns of this kind may be built, a silo may be 

 made in a similar manner. 



Another modification is possible in wooded countries, 

 where log-barns and even log-houses are still built. A 



