Silos, or chambers for the storage and preservation of food, have been in use in one form or other in various countries from very early times. In France and Spain, and other parts of Europe, grain was preserved in trenches, dug in the ground, at the time of Pliny, who mentions in certain of his writings that "the best plan of preserving grain is to lay it up in trenches dug in a dry soil, called Iris, as they do in Cappadocia, Thracian, Spain, and in Africa." This method of preserving grain was not confined to the East, as at the time of the discovery of America by Columbus the natives were in the habit of storing grain in pits, and certain tribes continue the practice to the present time. The ancient Egyptians, as we learn from Scripture, stored sufficient grain in the seven years of plenty to serve themselves and other nations during the seven years of famine that followed. The Egyptian silos were evidently of a more improved and permanent nature than the rude trenches above referred to, as "Vilkinson in his work.

Ancient Egyptians," states that "some of the rooms in which they housed the grain appear to have had vaulted roofs. These were: filled through an aperture near the top, to which the men ascended by steps, and the grain, when wanted, was taken out from a door at the base." It is important to note that the early silos were used principally for the preservation of corn and other dried cereals, for indefinite periods, such as from years of plenty to years of scarcity, and there are instances of corn having been preserved in good condition for the long period of 200 years. On the other hand, the silos of the present day are used more particularly for the storage of green fodder, to provide food for cattle during the winter, or for a year at most. Food thus preserved may, however, be kept indefinitely, that air is not allowed to enter the silo. For this reason it is important that the sides and floor should be perfectly air-tight, and it is also essential that the sides be smooth and vertical, so that the silage may settle uniformly and compactly, leaving no vacant spaces for the accumulation of air. Silage is the name given to any green and succulent food preserve in a silo, either in an uncut form or after being passed through a cutting machine and reduced to small piece. After it is filled into the silo fermentation commences, which increases the temperature and expels the air. Thereafter, chemical change ceases, and the resulting product is a sweet. Silage which may be preserved indefinitely provided air is not allowed to penetrate the mass. The temperature required to produce this result is about 1220 F., and if, from any cause such as an excess of moisture in the plant, or excessive cold, the temperature does not attain this height, the acid ferments will not be destroyed, and the resulting product is a sour silage, less palatable and less valuable than the other. During the process of fermentation gases are generated to a considerable extent, and the top of the silo should be sufficiently open to allow these to escape. After the silo is filled the air may be prevented from entering the silage to any great depth by covering it with any less valuable material, or with sailcloth. Another method which is both cheap and efficient is to sow some grain, such as oats, on the top of the silage, pour water over it.

The word "silo," taken from the Greek, Silos a pit for holding grain-is the name now applied to any air-tight chamber formed for the preservation either of dried grain or green food. It may be simply a trench pit clung in the ground in any dry position, into which the silage is filled and weighted down with planks, earth, or other material. More commonly it is a structure of wood, metal, brick, stone, or other building material, or a combination of these, built entirely above ground or extending down only a few feet, a:g.a standing either by itself or forming a part of the other farm buildings. The origin of structural silos on the modern plan is of very recent date, but the progress of soloing has been so rapid and successful--in America, at any rate-that in the short period of thirty years over a hundred thousand silos have been built in the United States alone, and the number is steadily increasing. In form the silo may be -built either square, rectangular, octagonal, or circular on plan. 1£ forming- part of a scheme of buildings its shape would probably be decided by the position it occupied and the space available, but if standing alone either form could be adopted at will. The round silo is more favorable to the even and compact settling of the silage owing to the absence of corners, and, consequently, more favorable to its perfect preservation. On the other hand, it does not fit in with other buildings so readily as a square or rectangular silo, without loss of space, and for this reason the latter are likely to be more frequently built. The same remarks would also apply to octagonal silos. If standing alone, however, no objection can be raised either to the round or the octagonal form of silo, and as the proper preservation of the silage is the main object to be attained, one or other of these forms should be adopted in preference to the others. The main objection to square or rectangular silos is the presence of corners, which prevent the silage from settling uniformly and compactly, thus causing waste of space and creating undesirable accumulations of air. This defect may be remedied to a considerable extent by having the corners well rounded. Of the two, the square silo is perhaps the better form, and probably somewhat cheaper than a rectangular one of equal capacity, as the wall space is rather less.

Where a large quantity of silage is required it is advisable to have it stored in two or more moderately-sized silos in preference to one very large one, with very large silos too much surface of silage is exposed while feeding; and, if the height is increased to modify the surface dimensions beyond a reasonable limit, excessive labor is involved in the working. The height above ground should not exceed 20 to 25 feet, and the depth under ground should not be more than 5 or 6 feet, the limit from which a man can conveniently lift the forage. With rectangular silos the difficulty can be obviated by having one or more partitions dividing the silo into two or more square, or nearly square, compartments. Whatever form is adopted for the silo, it should always be built with a greater capacity than would be necessary, as considerable allowance has to be maimed for waste from settling and from spoiled silage. Even if material is added a second or third time there will still be a certain amount of waste space to be allowed for. One-fifth is considered a low estimate for loss of space and waste silage.

As a basis on which to ascertain the size of silo necessary to hold food for a certain number of cattle for a certain period of time, 40 Ibs, may be taken as the average amount of silage required to feed one animal per day, and 40 Ibs, may also be taken as the average weight of a cubic foot of silage. Therefore, if the number of animals is multiplied by the number of days during which they have to be fed, the result will equal the number of cubic feet of silage space required. Supposing 30 animals have to be fed for six months, or 184 days, the total amount of space required would be 30 x 184 = 5,520 cubic feet. To find the number of cubic feet in a square or rectangular silo• multiply the length in feet by the width, and then by the height, and the result will give the total number of cubic feet. Thus, if a square silo measures 14 feet each way on plan and 25 feet in height the cubical contents would be 14 feet x 14 feet x 25 feet = 4,900 feet. In the case of a round silo, multiply the square of the diameter in feet by the height, and then by .7854. For example, if a round silo measures 14 feet in diameter and 25 feet in height, the cubical contents would be 14 feet x 14 feet x 25 feet x .7854 = 3,848 feet approximately. As regards position, the silo should be placed as near as possible to the Center of feeding to minimize the labor of carrying food to the various mangers. In round or octagonal farm buildings, such as are common in America, the silo usually takes the same shape as the main building, and is placed in the Center, where it occupies a convenient position from which to feed the various animals stalled around the building. In the accompanying plate a circular silo is shown situated at a corner of the main building, where it not only proves a useful adjunct but also forms a very pleasing feature. A convenient arrangement is to have the doors of the silo opening into a passageway, or into the feed store or mixing room, which usually occupies a central position. A saving in the cost of erection can often be effected by utilizing one or more of the walls of the main building in the construction of the silos….

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