of the silo, must be made to put in the corn and take out the 

 «nsihis:e. The courses of boards should be cut shorter than the 

 opening to allow loose boards to be set in, lapping on the door 

 studding and making an air-tight joint. 



For all this work medium lumber is good enough, and a 

 very limited amount of mechanical skill and a few tools, which 

 all farms should have, will enable most farmers to build their 

 own silo. A few iron rods, one-half inch in diameter, may be 

 necessary to prevent spreading by side pressure, but this will 

 •depend upon the strength of the original frame of the barn. 



Narrow boards, from five to eight inches wide, are better 

 than wide ones, as they are not likely to swell and split. Eight 

 penny nails for the first boarding and twelve penny for the sec- 

 ond course will hold the boards in place. 



A silo, constructed as above outlmed, will cost from fifty 

 cents to one dollar for each ton of its capacity, according as all 

 materials, including lumber and stone, are charged, or only la- 

 bor and nails, rods and cement. 



RAISING THE CROPS. 



Sod land fall plowed and, if possible, fall manured, will pro- 

 -djce the best results generally, but this point is not of great im- 

 tance. The location of the field is to be considered. Land that 

 is near the silo is very desirable. We have only to remember 

 that an acre will produce from twelve to twenty loads which must 

 be conveyed to the barn to appreciate the importance of near- 

 ness. The land should be well manured with from ten to fifteen 

 ox loads of good farm yard manure and, in addition to this, it 

 wi.l pay to apply two hundred pounds of some concentrated fer- 

 tilizer in or on the drills or hills. A fertilizer containing a good 

 per cent, of potash is desirable, and this may be secured in the 

 following mixture of chemicals which may be bought from any 

 wholesale fertilizer manufacturer : 



Dissolv-ed bone black, 250 lbs., ^ 



Muriate of potash, 200 lbs., V-cost about $10.00. 



Sulphate ot ammonia, 50 lbs., ) 



• 500 lbs. 



Such a fertilizer would give the following analysis : 



Average analysis of "en 

 prepaied fertilizers. 



Nitrogen, 2 per cent. 3 per cent. 



Soluble phosphoric acid, 8 per cent. 11^ per cent. 



Potash,^ 20 per cent. 2^ per cent. 



