Tlie Silo and Silage-stack Competition, 1885-86. 275 
fornicd by a horse wliich continues to tread until, as Jlr. Morris remarked, he 
walks himself out at tlie top. UjX)n our second visit in January, the middle 
of the silo bad been partially emptied, having been cut from the top to the 
floor, and the right-hand compartment was cut half through. The silage was 
then found to be exceptionally good in appearance, but further examination 
showed that the corners and sides were still unsatisfactory, although this 
failing could not be attributed to any fault of the silo itself, but rather to the 
labourers who had filled it. This point cannot be too clearly insisted upon, 
for it is manifestly impossible for anj' building, however perfect it may be, to 
do its work unless those responsible for the filling and treading do theirs. In 
one point it seems clear that an improvement might be made, and this I 
believe Mr. Morris fully imderstands. Directly the cubic space of a silo is 
minimised, the proportion of loss is increased, and therefore it is evident that 
every silo should be as large as possible, so that the superficial area should be de- 
creased pro rata. Suppose, for example, two silos are made, each 9 feet by 9 feet 
by 4 feet, which would give a cubic contents of 324 feet ; but suppose also that 
one of these is divided into six compartments, each 3 feet by 3 feet by 4 feet. 
As it is frequently found that the silage is destroyed for 3 inches from the 
walls, and indeed from the top and bottom, it may be assumed for the purpose 
of the argument that in each case this quantity of silage is destroyed. It is 
obvious, therefore, that while in the single silo the loss would be 76^ square 
feet, the loss in the six small ones woujd amount to 1272 square feet, or 
nearly 75 per cent. more. The cost of the Madley silo was as follows : — 
£ s. d. 
Timber for roof 142 cubic feetK^Q ^^^^ ^^^j ^ 13 15 0 
„ weightmg 158 „ j 
,, rafters 40 „ at 8hd 19 2 
Bricks, pipes, oak, red deals, &c., with extra sawing .. 12 6 2 
Ironmongery, nails, screws, smith's work, &c 8 0 0 
Lime 3 15 0 
Quarry stone, 120 yards at Sd. and "ider 4 10 0 
Excavating 4 0 0 
Masons and labourers 25 0 Q 
Carpenter 8 10 0 
Cement, 7 barrels at ll.s. G(Z 406 
Hauling materials 12 15 6 
Tiles and cress 4 17 4 
Total £102 18 8 
Mr. Elv;es's SiJos. — The next silos inspected were those of Mr. J. H. Elwcs, 
of Colesborne, Cheltenham, two of which had been entered for competition. 
These were of a most practical kind, especially suitable for imitation upon 
homesteads where the same convenience is at hand. The first silo, situated at 
Rapsgate farm, upon the Cotswold Hills, where thousands of acres are out of 
cultivation, is an adaptation of one end of an old barn. Its length is 20 feet 
8 in., its width 13 feet 6 inches, and height 12 feet. The bay of the barn is 
walled up with stone from an old wall, and the provision for emptying is a 
door 6 feet 3 inches, by 3 feet 6 inches, which " hatches against the jambs 
upon the inside." The total cost of the silo was 15Z. 9s. 6c?. The portion 
spent in clearing the floor and levelling the foundations of the wall was 15s. 4:d. 
The walls are IG inches thick, costing 5?. Gs. 3d., and were lined with Portland 
cement one part, and sharp sand three parts, at a cost of 41. 17s. lOd., the work 
costing roughly, according to the estimate prepared by Mr. Elwes, 6d. per yard 
ibr 90 square yards. No drains are irsed. The floor, which is of hard earth, 
T 2 
