93 



BUILDING AND COST OF SILOS. 



Mr. Bisbee, of New York State, thus describes his plan of 

 building: "The top of the silo is even with a plateau, the bank 

 descending fifty feet to the stable, and very steep. The ensilage 

 is taken out by a hoisting apparatus over the top of the stone 

 wall, and carried in a car on a gently descending grade into a 

 small house, built on the roof of the stable, where the bottom 

 falls out and the ensilage drops to the floor over the stable. The 

 silos were built double; seven and eight feet wide, respectively, 

 by 24x15 feet deep. The material was stone. Outside walls 

 dry, thirty inches thick at the bottom, and twenty at the top. 

 Division wall twenty inches, laid in cement, and all walls plast- 

 ered with cement. The walls were built by masons, in accord- 

 ance with their notions of fitness, with the result of an extrava- 

 gant cost. Above the silo walls is a curb of matched boards, 

 six feet high, for settling room — of course a roof covers the 

 whole. The silos were covered with hemlock planks, and 

 weighted with stone fourteen inches thick, and earth banked at 

 ends of plank. The cost was between $700 and $800." 



Mr. N. Gridley, New York, has a silo 32x12x12 feet deep, 

 built of concrete, 14 to 16 inches thick. Posts set in the ground 

 and lined with two inch plank, put in as wall is built. Any 

 kind of stone used. One part cement to five parts sand, mixed 

 while dry, then wet so that it will pour from the pails in which 

 it is carried. After the posts and. planks are taken down the 

 walls are plastered with cement, made with less sand. Bottom 

 covered about two inches with gravel. The cost was $200, 

 including light frame building over it. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



In relation to the age of the crop, when cut, I think it is 

 fully evident that corn may be allowed to become about ma- 

 ture before ensilaging. A partially developed ear does no hurt. 

 The stalks are full of sugar, and towards the butts they are the 



