114 HOW TO BUILD A SILO. 



silos were uniformly built better than the rectangular 

 wooden silos included, and according to modern require- 

 ments, while many of the latter were old and of compara- 

 tively cheap construction, so that the figures cannot be 

 taken to represent the relative value of rectangular and 

 round silos built equally well. 



A good many figures entering into the preceding sum- 

 maries are doubtless somewhat too low, if all labor put 

 on the silo is to be paid for, for in some cases the cost 

 of work done by the farmers themselves was not figured 

 in with other expenses. As most farmers would do some 

 of. the work themselves, the figures given may, however, 

 be taken to represent the cash outlay in building silos. 

 In a general way, it may be said that a silo can be built 

 in the bay of a barn for less than 75 cents per ton 

 capacity; a round or a good square or rectangular wooden 

 silo for about $1.50, and a stone or cement silo for about 

 $2 per ton capacity, all figures being subject to variations 

 according to local prices for labor and materials. 



Rennie, a Canadian writer, gives the following com- 

 parative figures as to cost of silos: Round stave silos, 

 75 cents per ton capacity; round wooden silos, $1.25 and 

 cement silos, $1.25 to $1.50 per ton capacity. 



The cost of stave silos will of course vary with the 

 kind of lumber used, cost of labor, and other expenses, 

 as in case of other types of silos. It is evident that stave 

 silos can as a rule be built cheaper than other kinds of 

 silos, both from the fact that less material is used in 

 their construction, and because the labor bill is smaller. 

 One of the first stave silos described, built in Ontario, 

 Canada, cost $75.00; capacity, 140 tons. Other and better 

 built stave silos have been put up for $100 for a 100-ton 

 silo, and this may be considered an average price for 

 such a silo, made of white pine, hemlock or any lumber 

 that is cheapest in the particular locality where the silo 

 Is to be built. If built of Southern cypress, and complete 

 with conical roof and doors, the price of stave silos will 

 In the North come to about $1.50 per ton capacity, small 



