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Show Questions of. the Feed Lot Frofitaar Herbert IV. Uumfori Llmo Cotlrgt ef Agrleltur0 Oregon Fir for Silo I AM .'"ing build a MI... this summer 1 and would like to kr.ow how lonfe on built of lir would lat, well constructed and anchored and k 1 1 psliilrd. Also how much a :-tecr w etching S00 pouniln would Kiln on ilage (forty pound"), and some roiiRliHKc." I could not anwrr your nuextlon a t" the length of time a silo built of fir would last. I know of nome that were built ev-eral ev-eral years ago that are sllll In good repair. I tUOte fr Jin bull. I In No. IftO r.f (he low experiment station relative to Ihe durability of Oregon fir: "Or Ron fir I an excellent wood for tave Flint, ax It can be secured In full-length staves and I quite clear and uniform. With reasonable care and a foundation high enough to raise It above moisture a llo with fir stacs should lat for a long term of years." I'rcni the same bulletin I nuotn references made to other materials used In silo construction con-struction which may be of Interest: "Redwood Is one ()f the conifers which l I generally ncceptrd as having tin- best last- ilng qualities of any wood used In silo construction. con-struction. Redwood trees are very large and , the lumber uniform. In buying redwood sllo.s a very good grade of practically clear and full-length staves may b secured. The shrinkage and swelling due to inolblure Is les than in other woods. This Is quite an advantage on account ot the shrinkage that occurs when the silo Is empty. A stave silo built of this material eleven years Ko was recently examined carefully. Every tave was gone river with n knife and not a soft spot was found anywhere. This examination was especially critical near the foundation. Redwood Is the w cod principally used for conduits. "Cypress, being quite similar In quality and characteristics to white cedar. Is well adapted to the construction of silos. Only clear or good, sound knotted slock should be used. More cypress than any other kind of wood Is used for water tanks In the middle mid-dle west. 'Tamarack or larch Is very similar to tho best hard pine, but where equal grades of each are obtainable It is slightly preferable on account of Its greater durability. '"White pine. If free from looe or largo knots, makes a very good silo. The staves cannot usually be obtained In full lengths for a desirable height of silo. "Long-leaf yellow or hard pine Is the strongest and Mlffcst of all pines and If a choice grade 1 secured It makes a very good silo at a reasonable price. It 1. rinks a little more than the woods pre lously mentioned, but the hoops of any stave hiIo should bo tightened when the silo is empty." As to how much a steer weighing R00 pounds would gain on forty pounds of bllage, .supplemented I'h some roughness. It would be difficult to say. In the first pla e forty pounds of silage would be a pretty strong feed of tllage for an SOO-pound steer. You would get more economical results by feeding feed-ing less fllase anil supplementing It with cottonseed meal and l)er bay. If thin were don pound jtecr: would gain from 1 to 2'-i pounds n day, depending upon their quality and whether or not they nero on full feed or on a somewhat limited ration. |
