Show R FARM ARM to TOPICS PLAN BOX SILO ON LEVEL LAND Is good substitute for the trench silo 0 by E R EUDALY dairyman texas tens A M K collen college extension service built above ground a box silo is a substitute for a trench silo in regions where the land is more or less leveland level and where keeping water out of a trench is a problem to construct such a feed container build two parallel levees i of dirt any height and width desired then fill between the levees with s silage ilage and cover with earth this sometimes is called a trench silo upside down two in places where lumber is cheap it might be advisable to build the upside down trench out of lumber and tar paper this is called a box silo it is not advisable to build a box of smaller dimensions than four feet between walls six feet high and 20 feet long iona lesser space between walls auld would be hazardous since a little spoilage at the edges would be too high a percentage of waste A minimum height of six feet is suggested because of settling and the possibility of some spoilage on top if the silage settles a whole lot there might be a high percentage of spoilage width and height may be as much as desired beyond the minimum footage as far as keeping of the contents of the silo is concerned but the width should be regulated according to the number of livestock to be fed the specialists advise at least five cows are necessary to obtain the most success from a box silo the posts should be three feet apart in the row if one inch lumber is used but may be as much as feet apart if using two inch lumber lumber is best for siding but rough sawed lumber may be used provided it is laid so that the inside of the wall will not be so rough as to break the lining paper tar or asphalt paper is recommended for covering the inside of the wall and no 9 galvanized steel wire or the equivalent in strength to tie the posts together at the top the silage at the open end of the box should slope from the ground to the top of the wall so that the end can be covered with earth only two or three inches of dirt may be used provided oats or barl barley ey is is planted in it and the earth kept moist until the grain makes enough growth to form a good root system and hold the dirt together to gether to prevent cracking |