258 THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



335. The pit silo. In regions of limited rainfall and espe- 

 cially on soils with perfect drainage to the depth of twenty or 

 more feet it has recently been found practicable to build in the 

 ground a silo (Fig. 125) that serves every purpose of a much 

 more costly structure aboveground. A large number of such 

 silos are in use in western Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, 

 and eastern Colorado. The cost of a pit silo varies from a few 

 cents to about a dollar for each ton it will hold. Labor, most of 

 which is unskilled, is the chief item of expense in building a 

 pit silo. Such a silo requires very little for upkeep and cannot 



FIG. 126. A silage car 



In feeding large quantities of silage a simple car which may be pushed close to the 

 feeding troughs is of much assistance 



be blown down. A blower or elevator is not required; therefore 

 the cutter costs less and is operated at less expense than when 

 filling a silo built aboveground. The silage will not freeze and 

 keeps even better than in the aboveground silo. The principal 

 disadvantage of the pit silo is the inconvenience in getting the 

 silage out. The pit silo should have a cement curb extending 

 from below the frost line to a few inches above the ground. The 

 walls should be plastered with cement from three fourths of an 

 inch to one inch in thickness and should be washed with a cement 

 coat to make them water-tight and air-tight. A covering should 

 be provided to keep out dirt, trash, farm animals, and children, 

 and also to provide for the circulation of air within the silo. 



