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SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



Corn can be made into silage at less cost than when cured as fodder. 

 There is not only a saving of time, but there is less waste of the crop and 

 it goes to the feed trough in a succulent and more digestible condition 

 than when dry. ( Jrops may be put into the silo under weather conditions 

 that will not make possible the harvesting fc r putting in the shock or mow. 

 The silo enables the farmer to keep more stock on a given area of land, 

 and is a step in the direction of greater intensity. 



There are many forms of silos, but the essential of a good silo is a 

 strong, durable, tight wall that will permit of thorough settling of the 

 stored material. Silos of the circular form are preferred. The greater 

 the depth, the more compactly the material settles, the better it keeps 

 and the larger the quantity that may be stored in a unit of capacity. The 

 monolithic concrete silo is coming into extensive use. It is fireproof, and 

 when properly constructed should last many years. Its first cost is a 

 little greater than a good wooden silo, but it should prove cheaper in 

 the long run. Concrete blocks and tiles are also used for silos and have 

 proven both satisfactory and durable. 



The size of the silo will depend on the number of stock to be fed out 

 of it and the length of the feeding period. In northern latitudes this 

 period is seldom less than 200 days. It is usual to feed cows 30 to 40 

 pounds of silage daily. On the above-mentioned basis, 3 to 4 tons per 

 animal will be required. These figures give a rough basis for calculating 

 the amount of silage required and the capacity of the silo to construct. 

 It is estimated that there should be fed from the surface of the silage about 

 two inches daily in order to prevent the material spoiling. A feeding 

 period of 200 days would, therefore, call for a silo 400 inches in depth, 

 or about 35 feet deep. Silos are often constructed to a greater depth. 

 The following table gives the height and inside diameter of silos in feet, 

 together with the capacity of silage in tons. This will be helpful in connec- 

 tion with determining the size to build. 



