1905. 
843 
NOTES ON THE SILO . 
RAPID WORK.—(We believe we hold 
the record. Not for the fastest horse or the 
best cow, but for a quick silo. We have 
at one end of the barn a square silo, an 
octagonal one at the other end, and Fri¬ 
day morning, September 22, we found 
them both full, and 40 loads of corn un¬ 
housed. We had thought they would set¬ 
tle so that we could get 10 acres into 220 
tons silo space, but it was no go. We do 
not like to handle dry cornstalks, and we 
do like silage, so we quickly made up 
our minds to build a baby silo. We used 
the telephone, and found we could get 
sufficient 2x6 lumber 16 feet long to 
make a 14-foot silo. Hemlock $20 per 
1,000 planed, beveled and delivered. So 
while this was being planed and beveled, 
and the rods made, we dug away from 
one side of the barn a space about 16 feet 
wide and l l / 2 foot deep. We put in small 
stones, tamped them down, and covered 
with about three inches of cement. We 
engaged a carpenter to come next morn¬ 
ing, and at 9 A. M. the lumber was on 
the ground; at 5 P. M. the stave silo was 
complete and ready for corn. We filled 
it heaping full with 38 loads of corn, and 
have nearly 50 tons of silage, which we 
consider worth twice as much as the same 
amount of dry fodder would have been. 
The silo cost between $50 and $60, and 
could have been built cheaper had we had 
a little time to get materials at bottom 
price. But here is a silo conceived one 
day, born and matured the next, and now 
the farm has three varieties of silo. This 
past week one of our teams has delivered 
in town over $300 worth of horse hay 
(Timothy) at $20 per ton. We have more 
to sell, but without the silo we should 
have to buy perhaps a like amount rather 
than sell. No wonder we like the silo. 
ESTIMATING CONTENTS. —Many 
wish to build a silo, but do not know what 
size they need, or hardly how to find the 
capacity. It is an easy matter if you know 
the combination. To find the capacity of 
a square silo we multiply the length, width 
and height of the silo in feet and divide 
the result by 50 to get the tonnage, as an 
average cubic foot of silage weighs 40 
pounds, thus requiring 50 cubic feet for 
a ton. For a circular silo we square the 
diameter and multiply by .7854 to get the 
surface measurement, and this by the 
height. Suppose we wish to build a silo 
30 feet high and 16 feet in diameter: 
16 x 16 = 256 X .7854 = 201.06 X 30 = 
6031.8 -r- 50 — 120, the tonnage capacity 
of the silo. The size one needs will of 
course depend upon the number of ani¬ 
mals kept, the length of time they are to 
be fed and the amount to be fed daily to 
each animal. How much to feed must 
depend upon circumstances. If we were 
in sections where land is easily tilled and 
suitable for corn we should feed what 
they would eat up clean twice a day, and 
a light feeding of hay once a day. This 
method of feeding permits a large amount 
of stock to be kept upon a small acreage, 
as the soil, by large additions of fertility 
in the shape of manure, grows richer 
every year. On many farms this allows 
the selling of hay, and still keeps up 
the fertility of the farm; 40 pounds fed 
daily will require 3 x / 2 tons per cow for six 
months, or five tons for eight months’ 
feeding. Where land is hard to till it is 
often more profitable to feed silage only 
once a day and hay twice; 20 pounds 
daily will require about two tons per 
cow for six months, or 2 x / 2 tons for eight 
months’ feeding. h. g. Manchester. 
THE CARE OF FARM MACHINERY. 
I never put a tool or machine away dirty 
if it can possibly be avoided, and always in¬ 
sist on the men taking time to clean tools 
when through using, particularly shovels, hoes, 
cultivator, plows and disk harrows. All tools 
with the exception of spring-tooth harrow and 
plows are never left out at night, and plows 
are not as a ru'?. Ordinary machine oil is 
the best tb'rg I have ever used, unless a tool 
is very rusty; then I use kerosene and fol¬ 
low that with the machine oil. The phos¬ 
phate attachment to the grain-drill is the 
hardest thing to keep clean. I take cups out 
every time drill is not to be used for a few 
days, and cover well with the machine oil. 
THE RURAL N 
The mower and binder I always use myself, 
and find by keeping my eyes and ears open 
and fixing anything I find wrong right on 
the spot that there is no need for over¬ 
hauling in the Winter. In fact, I firtd Win¬ 
ter just as busy a time with most farmers 
as the Summer is, and it is not nearly so 
easy to get at a machine as a rainy day in 
the Summer. If tools are kept housed very 
little painting will be necessary, and if not 
the time and expense of painting might bet¬ 
ter be put into a house for them ; dry ground 
floor and good roof are all that is necessary. 
Last, but not least, is the harness. I think 
that we make a mistake in not using the 
soap more, instead of so much oil. The rule 
with most farmers is thoroughly to soak in 
warm water, wash clean and then saturate 
thoroughly with oil once a year. I prefer 
to wash with harness soap once a month 
if possible. I do not consider ready-mixed 
paints in the hands of the ordinary farmer 
a good investment. What I have done has 
never been satisfactory, but perhaps that is 
my own fault. o. J. b. 
Charlotte, N. Y. 
I am a crank on tools and the care of 
them. My men have ail tools put under the 
shed each night during the growing season; 
some tools have to be left out, I do not see 
how it can be avoided. I use axle grease 
on all metal parts. New tools do not need 
any paint for years if kept under cover. All 
old tools are painted each Fall before putting 
away. I only take apart such as will not go 
through the door. I find if tools are taken 
apart a careless hand might misplace a tap or 
bolt; you would not know it until you were 
ready to use, then a trip to town when time is 
valuable. a. s. akciier. 
Illinois. 
When storing plows, cultivators, etc., I 
brush off all dirt, then paint all bright metal 
parts with crude petroleum. We do not. paint 
all wood work every year, as we try to keep 
machines and tools under a shed. If left 
out through the Summer, I think they should 
be painted before storing for the Winter. I 
take the pole and cutter-bar off the mowing 
machine, so it will take less room in the 
barn. I oil the bearings, then brush with 
any soft cloth to take off oil and gum ; then 
use the oily rag to brush the knives so that 
they will not rust. Last year I ground the 
knives when I put them away; brushed a 
little oil over them, and they were in good 
condition when I wanted them in a hurry 
this year. I think that it pays to use plenty 
of oil. It pays to keep tools and machines 
under cover, for they last longer, do better 
work, and do It easier. h. s. e. 
New Jersey. 
The most important thing is to keep ma¬ 
chinery well housed at all times when not 
in use. There is more loss to the farmers 
of the country from leaving their tools ex¬ 
posed to the elements than in any other way; 
it far exceeds the actual wear when in use. 
As to painting, it is good economy to keep 
them well painted and all the bright wearing 
parts, as cultivator points and plows, covered 
with a coat of linseed oil when not in use. 
Rust is the worst enemy to steel tools, and 
it will pay well to protect them against it. 
As to my own practice, I never allow any 
tool to remain outside even over night, and 
all tools are cleaned and wiped dry before 
putting them away each time. Some farmers 
will say it does not pay to be so careful, but 
I know that it pays me well, both in dollars 
saved and in the satisfaction of having the 
tools always in good order for use. d. r. r. 
Tompkins Co., N. Y. 
Our farm machinery is all housed in build¬ 
ings expressly for the purpose, and kept there 
at all times except during the season of Its 
use. We always clean off the dirt, so that 
the iron has no chance to rust. The ferti¬ 
lizer attachment to the drill is the hardest 
thing to keep from rusting. This we clean 
thoroughly after using, and then have no 
rouble. With constant housing the paint will 
last about as long as the machine. Theoreti¬ 
cally the proper way is to attend to all re¬ 
pairs when the machine is put away, but 
I am frank enough to say that we are so busy 
with the subsequent job that we wait until 
the next Spring. We get them out some time 
ahead, look them over, and put them in con¬ 
dition for use. h. e. cook. 
New York. _ 
Catalpa from Seed. 
F. TF., Carmel, Ind .—'What is the best 
method of starting Catalpa trees from seed? 
Ans. —Catalpa seeds should be kept 
over Winter in a dry condition, and plant¬ 
ed in Spring. They usually grow very 
easily when properly planted. The soil 
should be thoroughly prepared as for 
garden seeds, and rows marked out about 
three feet apart, but there should be no 
deep furrows, very shallow marks or fur¬ 
rows being all that is needed. The seeds 
should be dropped in drills or continuous 
rows, with about five or six seeds to the 
foot, and covered not over an inch deep. 
The plants may be thinned if they are 
left in the nursery rows more than one 
year, but it is usually better to dig up 
and plant them permanently at one year 
Old. H. E. VAN DEMAN. 
EW-YORKER. 
No. 19 
Iron Age 
Wheel Plow 
and Cultivator 
Make the Garden Pay 
You can do double your present work with half the cost. 
You can do your work better and do it when it should 
done. You can increase your profit by 
proper planting and better 
cultivation. Any imple¬ 
ment shown herewith 
will pay for itself in 
from three to ten days in 
labor, time and seed saved. 
No. 8 
Iron Ago 
Hill and Drill 
Seeder 
can be relied on everyday in the year. Wherever they are used, on farm, garden or market 
garden, these implements soon demonstrate their worth, and are always found invaluable. They 
sow evenly, saving seed, they do double the work of ordinary cultivators; they are light ~ 
strong and durable, “Iron Age,” our new book for iqofi, explains the use 
of all our Iron Age Implements, besides giving valuable points on 
planting and cultivation. Send for the book to-day and read up 
on the new way to cultivate for profit. It describes many new 
and improved money-making farm garden implements, 
^Potato Planters, Riding and Walking Cultivators, Or 
chard Cultivators, Horse Hoes 
Sprayers, etc. Write 
for the book now. 
No. 6 
Iron Agro 
Double and 
Single 
Wheel 
Hoe, Hill 
and Drill 
l /Boeder 
BATEMAN MF6. CO., 
Box 1fi2X|Grenloch. N. J, 
No. 1 
Iron Age 
Double and 
Single Wheel 
Hoe 
SLEICH BARGAINS. 
Now is the time to place your order for Sleighs. You can buy 
cheaper and get a better finished Sleigh than if you wait until later. 
No. 20, Price $26.00. No. 30, Price $27.50. 
The above styles are strictly first-class and fully guaranteed. Just the same 
as you have to pay $40.00 and $45.00 for at retail. We will sell them to you at 
these low wholesale prices for a short time only. You will make no mistake in 
sending in your order now. 
We also have a complete line of Harness. Write for catalogue to-day. 
ROCHESTER VEHICLE CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
FARMERS, IT WILL PAY YOU 
to use our FARMER’S FORGE OUTFIT on your 
farm in doing blacksmithing and repairing. We have high 
endorsements for the thousands of Farmer’s Forges sold 
direct to farmers within the past nine years in every state 
and Canada. Our Forges have hearths 21x26 inches, lljf 
inch blowers, run easy, and have all the first class qualities 
of high-priced forges. 
WE POSITIVELY GUARANTEE Forges to be 
as large, as durable, do as much work and equal in every 
way any $10.00 forge on the market, and as represented or 
money refunded. 
SPECIAL WINTER OFFER 
Forge complete $3.GO, or one Farmer’s Forge, one anvli and 
vice combined, and one pair of tongs, all for $6.25. Ten 
carloads on hand. Orders shipped promptly. This offer 
may not appear again. Write to-day. Send stamp for 
catalogue No. 10 and testimonials. 
O. A. s. FORGE WORKS, Saranac, Mich. 
Let Us Pay the Freight on this Disc Harrow 
to You for a Month’s Free Test 
Give your Horses a treat by hitching them to 
a Disc Harrow that won't worry the life out of 
them with a pounding tongue. 
The Detroit Tongueless Disc Harrow is new 
on the market, yet it’s having a wonderful sale; 
we are getting orders for it from all over the 
country. 
People write us—“Why didn’t somebody think 
of this before?” 
We want to do this. 
We want to send one to you direct from our 
factory, prepayingall freight charges, letting you 
have the harrow to use on your farm a full month. 
There's no charge for the use of the Harrow, 
nor do we ask you to pay a penny down. 
All you have to do is to send for the Harrow. 
If at any time during the month it is not ex¬ 
actly as wo claim it to be, and if it does not do the 
work we claim it will do, ship it back to us at our 
expense and we will pay all freight both ways. 
If it is as we represent it, and does the work 
wo claim it will, then pay us for it on time to suit 
your convenience. 
The Detroit Tongueless Diso Harrow is worth 
its weight in horseflesh every season. 
Your horses will do 25% more work, and do it 
easier und better, than with any other Diso 
Harrow. 
This is because of its correct principle. 
There is no tongue for the horses to fight, or 
hold up on a galled neck. 
No side draft or crowding of team on short 
turns; just even, steady pull. 
The Front Truck supports the front end of the 
machine, perfectly balancing weight of driver. 
American Harrow Co., 1621 
Construction amply strong for heavy work; Steel 
Frame strongly braced. 
Steel Discs of the very best quality. 
Ball Bearings to tuke the End Thrust. 
Double Lovers, easy to handle. 
Steel Scrapers, set by hand or foot, and held 
exactly where needed. 
The Detroit Tongueless Disc Harrow is manu¬ 
factured under exclusive patents and sold only 
by us. And our entire output is sold direct to 
farmers on the 30-day Approval Test Plan, and on 
time if you wish it. 
You had better write ns at once for booklet 
and full description and price list of the Harrow, 
telling us when you want to use one. 
Hastings St., Detroit, Mich. 
"ABENAQUE 
9 9 
COMBINATION CIRCULAR AND DRAG 
SAW OUTFIT WITH 5 H. P. ENGINE 
* l* U vl\o j 
Si iple, 
Strong, 
Easy to 
Operate. 
GASOLINE 
ENGINES 
and 
SAW RIGS 
Write for Free Cat. o. ABENAQUE MACHINE WORKS, Westminster Sta. f Vt. 
