OPENING OF A SILO IN ABERDEENSHIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1973, 28 February 1885, Page 4

OPENING OF A SILO IN ABERDEENSHIRE.

CoroNKL Pkrodm)V of Pitfoitr erected a silo last summer (-u&der the able superintendence of liis factor, Mr Ainslie), on his taun of Lunderton. It w.n built as n li:irn, with stiong stone and Line walla and a alate roof, and was di\ided into T,hie© compartments, each 1.") fctt liv 14 feet, and 10 fret in depth. The paititions dhiding tlie building in comp.-utment* were of stone and lime, iviie inches thicK, and pl.istvicd with cement. Di (linage was amply prov ided for, and pressure on the ensilage was obtained by means of sciews. Aoioia each cimp irtint'iit weie laid two old mental rails., a foot below "the'fldor, and firmly built under the wrII at each side. A stiong coneiete flooi was laid above them, with holes in it to admit chains couuug up fiom the laiN below— one eh uti at either end of each rail about three feet from the wal 1 . These chains extended up to the loof, and wuio ri\ed there. The ensilege, .consisting of oats, peas, ami beans, was packed into the compartments firmly, the chains coming up thiough.it. When a sntlicient (|uantity of ensilage was put in to fill the compartments baton? weie laid across it closely, and over that transver^ely weio placed two beams. Before coming up to this height the chains were attached to strong iron s-erew*, which were taken upthiough tlie two beams we ha.\e lefened to as having been lad on tho top of the batons. To this a screw was applied, and, by means of it, the wooden cover was tightened down to a preiaitre'of ten tons on eacli screw, or twenty tons on each compartment, equal to about 200 pounds on each superficial foot of snrfjice- As the ensilage subsided, these screw s w ere tightened At tlie end of four days, when the subsidence had extended to three feet eight inches, the silos were opened and filled again to the top, s.tlt being added, in one of them, at the late of one pound to eighty pounds of ensilage. Each silo took in at the fust filling twenty three tons, which was the weight of ciop grown on three acres of land. After the subsidence of four dajs se\ en tons more were put in, making thirty tons to each coii.paitmeut. A large number of fanners weie jnesentnn Satur day when the silos weie opened, and they selected from the stook on the farm four calves, four cows, and four two-ytar olds, to be fed on tlie silage for some time, and then tested as to what improvement had taken place on them.