Tke Silo and Silage-stack Competition^ 1885-86. 293 
about 1 foot from the bottom, the system of pressure was defective, the silage 
being generally hollow. The pressure was obtained mechanically by a pair 
of springs operated upon by a screwed bar working into each of the springs 
which expands them, producing pressure on the surface, and its continuity is 
obtained by a clock-weight arrangement, attached to the screw bar by a wire 
rope with the necessary weights on it. We did not think the principle a 
good one. The silage was cut and carried immediately, and the cost of cutting, 
carrying, and putting into the silo was stated to be only 8^. lis. %d., or about 
lis. 2)d. per acre. 
Mr. Straker's, of Dipton Huuse, Hiding Mill, near Eexham, Northumber- 
land. — The silo is formed of a pre-existing building rearranged ; it is 17 feet 
10 inches long and 11 feet wide, and 16 feet deep. It is filled from windows 
out of an adjacent loft, through a doorway in a partition wall. The walls 
are of stone, 20 inches thick, the mortar pointing has been picked out from 
between the stones, and then covered with best cement, and very smooth to 
let the silage settle down uniformly. The floor is of cement laid on a covering 
of stones 12 inches deep. The roof was slated, and no exact cost of the con- 
version of the building could be given, but the cement cost about 8?. ; it was 
very cheaply constructed. The pressure was obtained by the use of chains 
passing up each side, into the links of which iron levers are put, operating on 
a plank floor by means of fulcrums placed about a foot from the walls ; the 
levers extend the whole width of the silo, about 10 feet 6 inches long, and are 
weighted with wheels from an old Crosskill crusher, which acted very simplj'' 
at a little cost, and much better than any of the imtented processes we 
had seen. There were 18 wheels used, and each weighed 74 lbs. The 
quality of the silage was uniform and good, and the method of getting it out 
was easy, as a doorway was provided opening into the yard in connection with 
buildings where it was to be consumed. It was estimated that about 33 tons 
was put into the silo from 8 acres of meadow, a rather poor crop. The cost of 
cutting, carting, and filling was about 14s. per acre : commenced filling on 
July 10th, with 20 loads — the subsidence that night was 19 inches ; 11th, IO5 
loads, subsidence 5 inches; on the 13th, IO2 loads, subsidence 2 feet 6 inches ; 
in all, 44J loads were put in. On the 15th, 2s-inch boards were put on, and 
8 inches of sand on it — and the total subsidence was 4 feet 6 inches. We 
were shown in the yard the remains of a silage stack that had been put up 
roughly as an experiment, and was weighted with bricks. Mr. Straker had 
been much annoyed in attempting to keep the stack upright, and thought it 
too difficult to manage for the system to come into general use. Yet he bad 
a quantity of very good fodder, which he admitted was of great value to him, 
but thought there was too much damage to the outside to make him try it 
again. He had not seen other systems, which would probably alter his 
opinion of the advantages of a stack. Mr. Straker is evidently a gentleman 
who takes the greatest interest in all his farming operations, and is conversant 
with every detail, which is evinced by extraordinary improvements through 
planting, and the high state of cultivation which he has produced in a barren 
country. 
Ushaiv College, near Durliam. — This silo is on the farm premises of the 
Roman Catholic College at that ])lace ; it is described by Mr. Collingwood, 
the able steward of the College Estate, as being " entirely new ;" length 48 feet, 
width 18 feet, height 18 feet. It is built of worked stone up to 18 feet, and then, 
on the top, in front and back, of wood, about 2 feet 6 inches between stone 
pillars. At the back, doors open in two places to admit of filling ; and in the 
front and at the bottom a doorway is placed for emptying ; the silo is built in the 
side of a hill, the bottom of the front level with the other buildings. The cost 
altogether was about 220/. ; 150 yards of earth had been removed, the front 
«nd walls had gables built of blocks of stone, the silo was lined with cement, 
