466 AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING 



Full-Length Stave Silos. Full-length staves are desirable, 

 although more expensive. If spliced staves are used, the 

 method of splicing should be carefully examined. The 

 ends of the staves are fitted together by a U-shaped tongue 

 and groove; but the more common method of splicing con- 

 sists in inserting a steel spline about 1-16 inch thick in saw 

 cuts in the ends of the staves to be spliced. 



The Foundation. The stave silo should be put upon a 

 good foundation. The foundation wall need not be wide, 12 

 inches being a good width, but it is well that it extend below 

 the frost line, or about 2J^ to 33^ feet. As the silo is likely to 

 be partly full during the coldest weather, the frost will not 

 be deep near the foundation. Any masonry construction 

 may be used for the foundation, but concrete is especially 

 well adapted to the purpose. 



Use of the Pit. It is doubtful if a pit is advisable with a 

 stave silo. The increased capacity so secured is economically 

 obtained; but there should not be a shoulder or bench inside 

 of the staves, as this will prevent the free settling of the silage. 

 If a pit is used to increase the capacity of the silo, and the 

 foundation wall is made flush with the staves on the inside at 

 the time of erection, it will be difficult to keep the silo on the 

 foundation as shrinkage occurs. 



Anchoring and Guying. The stave silo is a light struc- 

 ture and when empty is more or less at the mercy of the wind. 

 To guard against any possible damage from this source, it 

 should be carefully anchored to the foundation and guyed or 

 braced in all directions. The anchors to the foundation 

 should be at least four in number, -and may be made of bars 

 extending into the masonry and bolted to the staves above. 

 The top of the silo should be carefully braced to any adjoin- 

 ing buildings. The guy wires or cables should run in 

 pairs to posts and buildings in opposite directions. These 



