282 Hie Silo and Silage-stack Competition^ 1885-86. 
and threshing-macliine, which would otherwise have had to be provided with 
a new building. 
Mr. Helliers Silo. — The silo erected by Mr. W. G. Hellier, of Wick 
St. Lawrence, near Weston-super-mare, Somerset, deserves sj^ecial mention, 
inasmuch as it is the only absolutely wooden erection entirely built above 
ground which we saw during our inspection. It is 24 feet long by 12 feet wide 
and 10 feet high, and is built of deal, the posts being let into the ground 
2i feet deep. Each hole is 18 inches square, and filled up with a concrete 
made of gravel, brown lime, coal-ash, and sand. The foundation trench was 
also dug 18 inches deep by 18 inches wide ; and this, too, was filled with the 
concrete. Three quarter-inch deals were nailed on each side of the 7-inch by 
3-inch uprights, and the space between was entirely filled up by sand. There 
were no drains, and no especially prepared floor. The wood used in the 
erection, together with the sand, cost 18?. 17s., and the roof, which is a 
portable one, and made of quartering, covered with two-ply Willesden paper, 
31. 17s. The total expense of the silo, including 5000 bricks, at 45s. a 
tliousand delivered, and used for weighting, was 34?. 15s. It was built by 
Mr. Hellier himself, assisted by one man. There is a door at one end of the 
silo, which is double, the space between being filled with sand, and, when the 
outer door is removed, the space between is cleared before the inner door can 
be opened. The silo is filled at the top through a door or opening 7 feet above 
the ground. The structure is a tolerably strong one, and especially well put 
together for an amateur, although the quantity of sand used, 20 tons, caused 
the sides to bulge to a small extent. The grass, preserved unchaifed, was 
45 loads, and was mown with a machine ; it was carted at a cost of 22s. 6c?., 
the filling costing 15s. Upon opening the silo, the depth of silage was 
found to be 6 feet, scarcely reaching to the top of the door, one layer 
was of clover and the rest grass. It was slightly spoiled at the sides, 
and, on cutting out, the usual triangular section was found at the top. 
The weighting was obtained by means of bricks, five high, equal to 
140 lbs. to the square foot, standing upon boards J inch by 7 inches. The 
silage was exceedingly good, excepting the portions mentioned above, and a 
thin crust at the top. Mr. Hellier's system is satisfactory, and must be of 
especial value to a dairy-farmer like himself, paying in rent, rates, and tithes, 
3?. 12s. an acre, when he is unable to sell a single ton of his produce, although 
he has only 5 acres of arable out of 150 acres upon his farm. This gentle- 
man and his family before him have lived upon the same farm for 260 years. 
He has hitherto led his herd upon hay, and in consequence of the price of 
dairy produce he has been a considerable loser. He is of opinion, and we 
think he is right, that silage will, to some extent, ameliorate this unfortunate 
state of affairs. ^ 
Mr. Tanner's Silo. — The silo entered by Mr. Tanner, of Clapton Court, 
Crewkerne, is built under the roof of a covered yard, and is 18 feet 2 inches 
by 18 feet 4 inches by 16 feet deep, 8 feet being below the surface of the 
ground. It is divided across the centre by a wall, and forms one-fourth of the 
covered yard, which is 40 feet square. There are two openings, or door- 
ways, for emptying, one on each side ; before filling commences, these are 
blocked up with sliding-boards, 9 feet by la feet, placed crossways in a groove, 
and corked with tow and red lead. The walls, erected for the purpose of the 
silo, are 'J inches thick, and are of brickwork, but the original walls of the 
covered yard are of stone, lined with brick. All are faced inside with a mix- 
ture of sand and cement. The floor is of concrete, covered with a layer of sand 
and cemmt. There are no drains. The roof, which is covered with Bridge- 
water tiles, was built over the entire yard some ten years ago. 'i'he system 
of pressure adopted is that made by Reynolds, the cost being 16?. Excavating 
cost 50s. ; builder's work, 53?. ; bricks, 14?.; sand and carting, 10?. — total, 93?., 
