Show U ix A r A B ICA cal FA S trench type silo by W J dryden F farm arm editor while a trench Is the cheapest form of a silo from the standpoint of cash expenditure it the additional advantages that it can be constructed in a short time less expensive to fill is wind and fireproof as well as frostproof frost proof it has the added advantage that it is easier to operate than aboveground above ground silo to dig a trench silo economically a fresno and plow should te be used in some silos the walls may be given the final smoothing by sprinkling them and cutting them down with a hoe photographs show types of lining and roofs tor for silos as adopted in texas A stone B concrete C ai V fly A I 1 r n rn temporary tide side boards for or use u while silo iio Is beina filled cement plaster D plank E brick F tile any size ot of trench may be made in most soils the sides should be inclined so that they will have a slope of at least one foot to each four feet of depth particularly to reduce the tendency for the walls to cave in places where ground water rises or stands up within tour four or five feet ot of the ground surface the trench may be dug down nearly to the water table and the walls built up around the trench with the dirt talen taken from it where ground is flat or level and no drainage can be had set the trench on top of the ground by constructing two parallel ridges of dirt put the feed in between them and then cover it if a trench silo is to be used year after year it may pay to wall up the sides of the trench to prevent caving walls also reduce the loss from spoilage without walls few trenches will be suitable for use more than two years to avoid the expense of providing forms for concrete the sides may be given a little slope and the concrete plastered on them wi with th a trowel it Is not economical to make the concrete walls vertical as more concrete and reinforcing would be required to make them strong enough to stand vertically the trench sides should first be covered with two layers of hog fencing running in opposite directions in many cases it may be more economical over a period of years to even borrow money and construct an upright above ground silo or it might be advisable to build such a silo in sections as funds are available when this is not advisable or possible good results can be secured by the trench type silo as it does offer many advantages particularly to the small farmer os hinge siane concree e cement plaster plank brick tile olk ay I 1 I 1 I 1 III I 1 I 1 I 1 plan of trench silo |