Silos and Silage in Colorado. 
11 
method of construction, quality of material used, and the care and 
attention given the silo. The life of the stave silo varies from five 
to twenty years, depending upon the requirements stated above. 
For Colorado conditions, nothing but the single-piece stave should 
Hinge-Door Patent Wood-Stave Silo in El Paso County (Photo by Liauck). 
be used. The dry climate and frequent winds make it more im¬ 
perative to use good material and to give the silo more care and at¬ 
tention than is necessary in more humid sections. Unless it be se¬ 
curely anchored and kept tight it is sure to get racked out of shape, 
or blow down. 
For the tenant, the stave silo has the advantage of being mov¬ 
able. As far as cost is concerned, when built of good single-piece 
staves, it is not the cheapest silo even for first cost. It has been 
and is used very largely in the East and Middle West and gives per¬ 
fect satisfaction there, but our conditions are somewhat different. 
Common-Sense Silo .—A few silos of this type have been built 
in this state, but have not been in use long enough to allow one to 
judge of their success. They are made octagonal in shape out of 
two by fours laid flat side and nailed one to the other, lapping at 
the corners. The inside surface is either coated with tar pitch or 
