THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRANARIES. 171 



so that they may be completely emptied when it is de- 

 sired to remove the corn from one cylinder to the other, or 

 to pass it through the winnowing machine, or to send it to 

 market. The preservation of the grain rests principally 

 upon a powerful ventilation, which can be repeated eight 

 or ten times a-year. By means of a gauge the contents are 

 easily read off. Beneath the platform upon which the cy- 

 linders stand may be placed crushing or flour mills, which 

 can be supplied directly from the vessels above. 



31. A very complete system of arranging and construct- 

 ing granaries for the storing up of grain and preserving it 

 in good condition during its period of storage, has been 

 introduced by M. L. J. Gustave de Coninck, of Paris, of 

 which the following is a description : " The system con- 

 sists in building the different floors of a granary in a square 

 or rectangular form with joists, on which the planks are 

 placed crosswise in such a position as to form hollows be- 

 tween each, thus presenting alternate crests and hollows. 

 These planks, not being joined, leave between them on the 

 crests and in the hollows spaces or grooves, partly closed 

 by small pieces of wood, which are cut slantingly in order 

 to facilitate the running of the grain from one floor to that 

 beneath by the openings. The number of openings varies 

 for each floor, and is as much larger, and the running of the 

 grain consequently as much more rapid as the floors are 

 nearer to the base of the granary. Under each floor, and 

 consequently at the upper part of each stage, are openings 

 covered with metallic cloth, which give access to the air. 

 If a quantity of grain is taken from the lowest floor equal 

 in volume to that in one stage, an empty space is formed, 

 into which the cereals run from the floor above ; but, as 

 there are more openings in that floor than in the one above 

 it, the flowing takes place more rapidly, and thus leaves an 

 empty space into which the air enters by means of the 

 openings. This effect is produced in each stage succes- 

 sively, and is said to be quite self-acting ; thus the grains 

 contained in each compartment pass from one floor to the 

 next, falling through the atmospheric air existing between 



