Concrete'Silos 



101 



It is well to provide for some drainage at the bot- 

 tom of the silo. This may be done in the following 

 manner: When the excavation is finished the earth 

 floor of the silo should slope toward the center. Here 

 a hole should be dug large enough to receive a drain- 

 age tile 30 inches long of any desired diameter. The 

 drainage tile should be inserted in this hole, and cov- 

 ered with an iron grating with a mesh sufficiently 

 small to be a protection against rodents. The bottom 

 should then be covered with cement in the same man- 

 ner that the sides are covered, and this cement should 

 join the grating and hold it in place. Any moisture 

 that accumulates in the silo may in this manner be 

 drained off, preventing both annoyance and waste. 



For convenience, it is better, after the silo has been 

 finished, to put a masonry extension above ground for 

 a distance of at least 4 feet, with a door upon one 

 side through which the carrier used in removing silage 

 may pass. This extension may be built of poured con- 

 crete, providing forms can be made for the purpose, 

 or it may be made of concrete blocks properly con- 

 structed, or of any material that to the builder seems 

 most desirable. 



A roof should be provided, and this should be made 

 in such a manner as to allow the free use of the car- 

 rier and track that are used in removing the silage. 



If it is desired to give the pit silo somewhat more 

 stability than can be attained by plastering on the 

 bare ground, a metal fabric can be used and the plas- 

 ter coat placed on this. Stakes can be driven into 

 the earth walls of the silo and the metal fabric fas- 

 tened to these stakes. 



