Thirty-fourth Annual Convention. 219 



brick had a full bearing against the clay to resist the great out- 

 I, ward pressure of the silage. Where the clay is solid a two-inch 

 brick wall is quite sufficient. Three feet from the bottom and 

 within one foot of the top of the ground the wall was thickened 

 to eight inches and carried up six inches above the grade line. 

 Where the grass is not kept down around the silo the brick wall 

 should be higher to protect the wood from dampness. 



When a silo is placed in the ground, unless there is good 

 natural drainage through the subsoil, tile must be laid to drain 

 the bottom or difficulty is almost sure to be experienced with 

 water in the pit. 



The wall of this silo should have been strengthened by im- 

 bedding an iron hoop in it just above the ground, for an eight- 

 inch brick wall does not have sufficient strength to withstand the 

 outward pressure of the silage at such a depth. This silo wall 

 has cracked slightly in two or three places. 



The sill was made of 2x4's cut into two foot lengths; 

 these were thoroughly imbedded in mortar on top of the wall. 

 The upper two feet of the wall was laid in mortar made of one 

 part Portland cement to two parts of sharp sand, and the entire 

 foundation was plastered with a thin coat of this mortar. 



The studs, which were 16 foot 2x4's, were set on the sill and 

 toe-nailed to it. A large post sixteen feet long was set in the 

 ground in the center of the excavation, and boards extending 

 from this to the studs about six feet above the foundation, held 

 the studs perpendicular to this height. (Cut 12). A half-inch 

 board was then bent around the outside of the studs at this 

 height and the studs were tacked to it as fast as they were 

 plumbed. These boards held the studs perpendicular and in a 

 circle to a height of six feet. The lining, which was J4x6 inches 

 16 feet long, made by splitting common fencing with a saw, was 

 put on the inside, beginning at the bottom. (Cut 13). The 

 upper portions of the studs were then plumbed and held in place 

 by pieces radiating from the post in the center and by boards 

 sprung on the circumference of the silo. (Cut 13). To insure 

 uniform strength throughout the silo, care must be exercised to 

 break joints when ceiling. ^ 



Staging was carried up on the inside as fast as the ceiling. 

 When the top of the first studs was reached, the upper studs were 

 spiked to the sides of the lower, allowing them to lap two' feet. 



