USE OF SILOS AT WAKANUI

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 9

USE OF SILOS AT WAKANUI

Bulk Handling Of Grain

Earlier this year a description was published on this page of the arrangements for handling grain in bulk on the property of Messrs M. F. and R. M. Kingsbury, at Hillcrest, Wakanui. On this farm grain is handled in bulk from the field to the farm yard, where it is transferred to silos for bagging. So far bulk handling from the farm to the mill has not been attempted. The grain is bagged from the silos.

A particularly interesting part of the arrangements on this farm is the silos—one of octagonal shape is made out of pinuS tongue and groove and the other of cylindrical shape is made of 3/10th inch plywood. Speaking recently to farmers, Mr M. F. Kingsbury said that both silos had stood up to the strain quite well —particularly the plywood one. It had shown no sign of weakness at all. At the finish of the harvest the silos had been left full of wheat with a moisture content of from 12 to 15 per cent. A sample taken from the centre of the silo after three weeks gave a moisture content test of 13.8 per cent., and when another sample was taken about four weeks later the conent was unchanged. Mr Kingsbury said: “At one time in the 1957-58 season, we had 1500 sacks of barley put in the paddock waiting transport. Owing to th 6 dampness of the ground and the frequent showers these sacks had to be turned everyday. fcast harvest, with bulk handling, when the header stopped at night, every bushel was under cover and safe. This was done with the same amount of labour—one man on the header, one man with the truck, and the third man bagging under ideal conditions in a cool granary away from dust without being tossed about on the header.”