The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-06-07
IA AGE OF CEMENT.

SeVenty-fVe per cent. Of the farms OIL
America are a disgrace to their own
ers from the standpoint of .neatness and
appearance OF the buildings and sur
r~oundings. Wooden structures in vary
Ing stages of collapse; rotting fence
posts; inefficient watering troughs and
floors Of barns and cellars all speak of
decay and temporary use. If these
farmers could be awakened to h inn
portance of building for all time In
stead Of for a day, the sum total of
prosperity and enjoyment in country
life would be UNNECESSARILY increased.
1t has been suggested that the huge
stones used by the ancient Egyptians
In the building of the pyramids and
Other monuments which have endured
thousands of years., were no Quarrled
out of solid rock, but were made from
some substance resembling our modern
cement, formed in molds on the site of
their tina occupation. Their process
may be another Of the lost arts and II
so we are but repeating history, for we
most certainly are entering upon an
era when cement is bound to constitute
our dependence In permanent buildings
of all sorts.
The hold which rement as a building
material has in the wn:ld today is as
strong and lasting as the material it
self. Timber is becoming scarcer, n
at the present gate of consumption the
supply in the United States will not last
longer than forty years. A durable and
satisfactory successor of wood may be
found in Portland cement combined
with sharp sand and gravel in the pro-
portions of one part of cement to two
of sand and foul Of gravel or stone for
very strong and waterproof work, or
one part of cement with two and a half
of sane and five Of cOarSer material for
ordinary work., n one of cement to
three of sand and six of stone or grav-
81 where strength is of minor impor-
lance. Mixed for ordinary work a r
rel or $50 pounds of cement (3h cubic
feetl, will make about ~ cubic feet OF
concrete. AS the sand fills the spaces
between the stones Cor graveD and the
cement fills the spaces between the
grains Of sand, the total quantity of
concrete will be u slightly in excess
of the original quantity Of gravel or
broken tone.
Portland cement costs s1.4o a barrel
at the mill, and other materials cost
according to the hauling distance. AT
so cents a yard for san or gravel the
cost ger cubic foot of concrete is
around g cents, exclusive Of labor.
1t is often fourd that concrete con
struction is absolutely cheaper than
lumber, and possessing the additional
advantage of being %fireproof and per
manent. 1t is used for cutters in sta
bles, cellar and stable floors, drain tile
Silos, sidewalks, fence. posts, bridges
houses, barns, watering and feeC
troughs, ice houses and cisterns. There
seems no limit to its usefulness. The
simpleness with which it is handled
commends it to those unskilled in car
pentry. Cement should be mixed witt
it's bulky companions in a dry state anc
Just enough water added to make i
sack we'll. A mold for the form re
uuired is then filled and tamped dowr
hard and allowed to set for twenty-foul
hours, when the mold may be removed
or if made with hinges. as are fence
post molds and other small forms, /
may be removed within a few minutes
Surfaces are generally finished off will
a smooth coating Of pure cement
Buildings are made from separate
blocks or constructed in a solid wall
One of the latest methods is to built
this wall hollow, thus making a frost
proof structure, warm IN winter ant
cool in hot weather.
OF the several kinds Of cement, Port
land possesses the highest cementin,
power and an additional virtue Of hard
ening under water. All cement shoul'
be kept dry. When properly protecte'
it often improves with age. CRUSHED
stone makes a somewhat stronger con
crete than gravel; cinders are frequent
w used. The mortar may be colOred t
suit the fancy of the builder, and som
very beautiful houses are now made o
this material.
The department of agriculture ha
issued a farmers bulletin No. 235, O
Cement Mortar and Concrete wit,
special reference to its preparation an
use for farm purposes. This bulleti
is for the asking, and gives in deta
many valuable hints and methods i'm
possible in this space.
Farmers should use nothing but
good grade Of cement. 1t is made b
a number of concerns. Do not buy fror
unknown dealers. Several firms max
iron molds for fence posts, tile, bullC
ing blocks, etc, and these will great
facilitate construction, being cheape
usually than to have one made by a ma
chinlst.-Farners' Voice, Chicago.