PRACTICAL SILO CONSTRUCTION 15 



times over in the upkeep or repairs necessary to the 

 wood or metal silo. 



These arguments, which are understood by those 

 who have had the experience, apply also to the other 

 features of a successful silo durability, and a small 

 repair bill. 



The silo is best when water-proof and frost-proof. 

 The penetration of moisture through the silo is very 

 apt to injure the silage, as the preservation of the 

 moisture is necessary to the process, while the freez- 

 ing of the silage is very annoying when feeding it 

 out, as large masses of it will adhere, by freezing, 

 to the wall of the silo, and cannot be removed until 

 thawed out. This does not injure the silage, but is 

 an annoyance when feeding the silage, in the winter 

 months. 



The water-proofing of the silo can be easily ac- 

 complished by using any of the water-proofing com- 

 pounds on the market, or by making the concrete in 

 the walls as dense as possible. By using a wet mix- 

 ture of concrete, the mortar will the more tightly 

 pack together, thus reducing the size of the pores 

 for the admittance of moisture to the silage, as well 

 as preventing the moisture in the green fodder from 

 escaping through the walls. Again, by the use of 

 a brush, coat over the completed walls, of ordinary 

 Portland cement, one part; hydrated lime, one-half 

 part; this is mixed with water to the consistency of 

 paint and applied with a wide brush to the walls as 

 soon as forms are removed, and aids materially in 



