314 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



concrete silo are so difficult that although a silo may be satisfac- 

 tory as far as strength and keeping qualities are concerned, the 

 walls are often rough, distorted and not of good appearance. 

 Good forms for the concrete wall are expensive and considerable 

 equipment is necessary to handle the concrete. 



The walls of the Iowa silo are of a construction familiar to 

 all masons and for this reason a satisfactory job is practically 

 assured. The reinforcement of the walls with the steel laid in the 

 mortar joints is a very simple matter. 



The forms for making the reinforced concrete doorways, al- 

 though of much the same character as those required for making 

 a concrete silo wall, are much more easily handled and are quite 

 simple. The scaffold for building the silo has been carefully 

 worked out. The roof construction is simple and should not give 

 anyone trouble who is familiar with concrete work in any form. 



Cost. 



An attempt has been made to determine accurately the cost 

 of the original thirteen Iowa silos. A definite statement is hard 

 to get, since in almost every instance the farm force assisted to a 

 more or less extent, introducing items of labor, haulage, etc., 

 difficult to estimate. The owners in most instances prefer not to 

 take these items into account, yet in making a complete state- 

 ment, they must be included. 



Silo No. I, owing to the fact that it was an experimental 

 silo and that some of the material was secured at a cost below 

 normal, is not listed here. 



Silo No. 2 was built under normal conditions but certain ex- 

 periments increased its cost to some extent over the next silo 

 which was built. The development of certain features of con- 

 struction, especially the scaffold, was a large factor in reducing 

 the cost of those constructed later. 



Following is a statement of the cost of silo No. 2, which is 

 located at Linn Grove, Iowa. 



