124 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the leading points on which there remain differences of 

 opinion, and the best lessons derived from practical expe- 

 rience. 



I. Silos — Location, Construction and Cost. 

 Local circumstances will largely govern all three points. 

 The silo may be a new building, an annex, an old cellar, or 

 a hay " bay" refitted. The location should be such as to 

 prevent unnecessary expense in construction, and economize 

 labor in filling it and in removing the contents. As a rule, 

 these conditions are best secured by placing the silo within,, 

 or adjacent to, a hill-side barn. Thorough drainage is essen- 

 tial, and the general requirements for a good ice-house 

 apply very well to a silo. It may, therefore, be wholly 

 underground, or wholly above ground-level. It is prefer- 

 able to have the silo excavated, or partly so, to secure and 

 maintain fairly an even temperature at all seasons. For ma- 

 terials, stone, brick, concrete, wood and paper may be used^ 

 and a simple trench, or hole in the ground, will serve the 

 purpose. Excavations in an impervious soil, or a well- 

 drained gravel-bed, which may or may not be lined with 

 boards, to prevent caving or ensure cleanliness, make good 

 silos. Such were the first made in this country, by Mr. 

 Morris, — the first, if I am not mistaken, in this State and 

 in this valley. I know such trenches in Illinois, simply 

 dug in the open field, through a tenacious soil and a hard- 

 pan sub-soil, to a stratum of gravel below, filled with 

 uncut corn, grown in the field, and covered with the earth 

 thrown out of the pit, which have made good ensilage, 

 and proved unquestionably profitable for several years. 

 Yet I believe a substantial masonry silo is true economy in 

 the end. It should be water-tight, and preferably, but not 

 necessarily, air-tight and frost-proof. Oval or rectangular 

 is the best shape — if the latter, the corners maybe filled 

 and rounded or concave. The walls should be smooth and 

 vertical, although some prefer them to flare or slope out- 

 ward a little near ihe top. Make the silo small and deep, 

 rather than large and shallow, the depth considerably greater 

 than the length, width or diameter. Several small silos are 

 greatly to be preferred to one large one ; they may, of 



