SILOS. 213 



ingly improved. When the air-tight wall silo with its con- 

 stant pressure cover is operated expertly, the green food 

 should not pass beyond the saccharine stage of fermentation, 

 and when taken from the silo and exposed to the air, the 

 alcoholic fermentation soon begins. In this state the en- 

 silage (preserved fodder) is in its best condition for feeding 

 and its food value is probably equal to what it was at the 

 tinie of packing in the silo that is, its changes have im- 

 proved its digestibility as much as fermentation has reduced 

 its weight of dry substance. Some have figured a consider- 

 able increase in food value, but this would be equivalent to 

 the production of something from nothing) except so far as 

 an increase in digestibility might occur from the chemical 

 action of fermentation. 



PLAN OF SILO. 



That our readers may get a clear idea of the plan of 

 building silos, in convenient form, of concrete or other 

 durable material, we give the outline of a ground plan for 

 a triple silo the inside of each being 16 feet wide by 32 

 feet long and 16 feet deep. 



We give plan for triple silo because many farms require 

 storage of this capacity (about 185 tons for each silo, or 

 555 tons), and if less storage is needed two may be built, 

 or one, if that is all that is needed. If more capacity than 

 one is required and less than two of this size, then it would 

 be better to build two side by side 25 feet long, rather than 

 to build one 50 feet long. The latter would take 23 feet 

 more in length of wall ; besides, the two silos side by side 

 would be more convenient, the doors being near together. 

 The roof on this ground plan would span the silos length- 

 wise, and another silo could be added at any time, requir- 

 ing only one side, or long wall, and two end walls, and the 

 roof can be extended over the new silo. This plan, then, 

 permits one to be built as a trial silo, and others to be 



