Show PLAN FOR constructing A STAVE SILO t i H af ti i L amri ON 1 katr I 1 complete silo with chuto chute in determining the size elzo ot of a silo the firak thing to be considered la Is tile tho diameter and this depends on the i number ot of cattle to bo be fed when the diameter of a silo Is too groat great the 1 balago la Is not fed off rapidly enough to deop it from spoiling this Is particularly ticul arly truo true when silage Is fed in summer care should therefore bo be taken that tho the diameter of the silo bo be not too great for the number of cows to be fed from it says saya the department part ment of agriculture prom from thirty to forty pounds of silage per cow per day should be provided for average dairy cows during the time when no other green food if la available the amount varies according to the quantity and quality of dry forage used after the diameter of the silo has been decided upon the next consideration la Is the number of tons of silage that will bo be needed and this depends on the length of the f feeding ceding season A convenient height for a silo above tile the foundation Is twice its diameter but Bom etimos it Is necessary for a silo of small diameter to be higher than this in such a case it should be well braced the silo should if possible be located so as to open into tile the teed feed room it such an arrangement Is impracticable it should be located near the barn at some other point and connected with the barn or with the feed room by a covered passageway the foundation to lay out tho the foundation drive a stake in the ground at tile the center of the proposed silo saw oft off tola this stake at the height desired tor for the foundation wall which should be at least one toot foot above the ground on the high side it the ground la Is sloping the thickness of the wall should from ten to eighteen luches do pending upon the size of 0 tho the silo the material of the foundation and the ground on chIt la is located the inside of the foundation wall should be at least six inches nearer to the center ot of the silo than the inside of 0 the staves stave s materials and construction the material ot of the foundation may be of stone brick or concrete concrete crete Is preferable under most conditions where stone or brick Is to be used the earth in the bottom of the allo except where the center stake stands may be dug out before the wall la Is built thus giving additional silage space and allowing greater convenience ven veni tence ence in building the wall the earth should not be dug out deeper than four inches above the bottom ot of the wall with a concrete foundation this eca excavation must not be made until the wall la is finished and the position of the staves marked on the top of the wall stone stone may be conveniently used when the foundation will wil I 1 not extend more than one or two feet above the surface of the ground it should be laid in cement mortar in such a manner that the inner surface will be smooth and the top level brick where hard burned brick can b be e secured cheaply as Is often the case near brickyards brick yards they can frequently be used to advantage tor for a foundation they should be laid in cement mortar rn with the inner surface of the wall smooth and the top level it if tile the wall extends more than one toot foot above tile the surface it should be reinforced by lay ing in g a no 9 wire or its equivalent on every second course of brick above itoe surface surf ace of the ground concrete for a concrete foundation a ditch must be dug before any of the earth in the center Is removed the earth between the two lines that mark the inside and outside of the foundation should be taken out until firm ground below frost line Is reached care being isaken taken to cut the sides bides of the ditch down straight and to leave the bottom DO m level 1 preparing the concrete for mixing the concrete a box cabout about four feol feet wide eight feet I 1 long ong aug 10 ono ona foot deep may be used or a simple floor or platform six alx b by ir ton ten feet will suffice to measure roen Bura tho the materials te rials an empty barrel preferably a cement barrel with both ends knocked out will bo be most convenient first measure up sand enough tor for a batch of convenient size and spread it on tho the floor or platform measure up the cement spread it over tile tho sand and with a hoo hoc or shovel mix them until no streaks appear this mixture la Is then built ud inin a low circular pilo with a crater like basin I 1 in the center into this crater pour poul water and by ay drawing in tho the dry mixture from all sides with a hoo mix thoroughly adding more mora water 11 ii necessary until tile the hoo will leave tho the mortar without tho the mortar clinging to it after which the mortar I 1 la spread out on one end of 0 tho the platform now measure nie asuro up tile th broken stone or coarse gravel drench it with water to wash off all particles of dust and dump it t on the wet mixture of sand and cement tho the final mixing la IB usually doro don 0 by material back and forth until it la is thoroughly mixed filling the ditch with concrete put in the first layer about six inches deep and thoroughly rani ram tho the concrete until water appears on the burbace Bur face A good rammer may bo be mado made of a piece of four by six lumber iwo feet long with a hole bored itt in the center of ono one end to receive a four foot round handle when the second layer Is put on oil the surface of the first layer should be perfectly clean and rough and if dry it should be sprinkled with water building forms after the ditch is filled to tho the surface of the ground drive two by tour four stakes halt half an inch from the foundation on the inside and two feet apart all the way around with a straight edge placed level one end on tot top of the center stake and the other against the side of the form for m stake mark on the form sta stake 0 the height that the wall should be as previously mark thus on every sec ond stake after tho the space from the top board to the ground has been boarded in drive stakes in a similar manner for tile the outside form hal balfan flan inch from the concrete drive these Is takes stakes so BO that the scantling resting on the center stake and the inside form will just clear the tops doard board up these stakes on the inside making the tot top of the outer form level with that of the inner filling the form four or five eyebolts eye bolts halt half an inch in diameter and fram 20 to 24 inches long with a hook or elbow on the lower end should be placed 9 inches from the inside of the foundation and held in a vertical position by boards fastened across the top the form these bolts should extend 8 or 10 inches above the top of the wall T the he concrete will be filled in around them after the silo is completed the staves adjoining the eyebolts eye bolts will be securely fastened to them concrete floor if the earth in the bottom of the silo Is firm and comparatively dry no provision need be mado made for drainage and a concrete floor Is un unnecessary necess a ry still such a floor makes the silo easier to clean and make it impossible for rats rata to burrow underneath tho the foundation wall and gain access a to the I 1 silage if however the earth in ili the bottom of tile the silo Is inclined to be a tile drain should be laid in ID jt it and a concrete floor should be ba laid above tho the tile |