Can you or any of your correspondents inform me what is the derivation of the word silo?

For many years after the colony of New South Wales was founded, it was almost wholly dependent upon the mother country for such supplies of grain, &c. as were necessary for the life and health of its inhabitants; and, consequently, store ships were regularly despatched from our shores to Sydney.

It happened however that, in consequence of wrecks and other disasters, the colonists were, on more than one occasion, reduced to the greatest distress, and starvation almost began to stare them in the face. Under these circumstances, one of the early governors of Sydney, to prevent the recurrence of famine, gathered a large supply of corn and deposited it in granaries which he had excavated out of the solid rock at the head of the bay, near the mouth of the Paramatta River. These were termed silos or siloes: they were hermetically sealed up, and from time to time the old corn was exchanged for new.

The supply of corn in these remarkable storehouses is still kept up; nor as late as the time of my departure from those colonies last year, did I hear of any intention of discontinuing this old custom.

Now the termination of this word in o marks it as Spanish; and accordingly, on reference to Baretti's dictionary of that language, I find the word "Silo, a subterraneous granary." But, Sir, this discovery only raises another question, and one which I wish much to see solved. A Spanish substantive must be for the most part the name of something existing at some time or other in Spain.

When, therefore, did such granaries exist in Spain, in what part of the country, and under what circumstances?

Augustus Strong.

Walcot Rectory, Bath.