764 THE farmers' handbook. 



This allows for footings, which may be of blocks laid as shown in section ; or the lower 

 course may be of concrete, laid in the trench 24 inches by S inches deep, in which case 

 1,553 blocks will be sufficient. 



Excavation. The lower 4 feet 3 inches of the silo is set into the ground ; this reduces 

 the labour of elevating when filling and strengthens the silo If the ground is firm, such 

 as hard clay, no other Hoor requires to be provided, but if it is soft, a concrete Moor 

 about 6 inches thick should be put in. No drainage from the floor is necessary. 



Walls. — On the footings, set the blocks in cement mortar, gauged 3 to 1, and with 

 § inch thick joists. 



At 3 feet from the floor and to each course upwards, bed at 1 inch from the outer face 

 either a § inch round iron rod or two strands of No. 8 fencing wire twisted together. 



A groove should be made in the top bed of the blocks to receive this, but if wire is 

 used and it is carefully set, it may be laid in the bed-joint mortar. The outer face joints 

 are struck jointed, and the inuer face pointed up, and the whole of the inner face of the 

 silo is bagged over with cement wash. 



Door*. — The first door frame is set on at 9 inches over the ground line, and spaced as 

 shown. Frames are made of sawn hardwood, the 'ills S inches by 3 inches weathered, and 

 the remainder 6 inches by 3 inches, square, and each fitted with two f inch iron dowels top 

 and bottom. The dowels are set about 4 inches into the cement blocks, which are made 

 solid for the purpose of receiving them. Over the inner face of the frames, and on one 

 side of the openings, is fixed a vertical hardwood batten to form a groove to take the ends 

 of the door planks. This serves to hold the Litter in position when the silo is empty. 

 The door planks are of dressed 12 inches by 2 inches oregon, jointei at the edges, and 

 when set into the frames they are covered over at the inner face with 2-ply roofing 

 material, extending about 6 inches beyond the frame to better exclude the air. 



Hoof. — The top plates are formed into an octagon and secured at the top course of 

 blocks by means of h ioch bolts, bedded into the blocks, and a roof is built as indicated 

 on the plan, boarded and covered with either plain galvanized iron or flexible rooting 

 material, with 1^ inch rolls in the angles. Guttering is unnecessary on the eaves, unless 

 the water is required. A dormer opening is formed, as shown, for entrance of the head 

 of the elevator or blower. No door is required on this. 



A cheaper roof of open gable ends may be substituted for that on the plan ; it serves 

 equally well, but does not look so well. 



