Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-04-11
Cement for Farm Use
and Rules for Mixing

One of the practical addresses at the
annual meeting OF the Illinois Farmers
institute was that of Fred X. Crane.
farm mechanics INSTRUCTORS at the univer-
sity OF Illinois,. His subject was Gee
ment on the Farm He said in part:
This is Il cement age. The farmer
will find concrete one of the most useful
things in his construction work. There
are four. makes OF Portland cement In
Illinois. which are giving general salts
faction.
IDEAL concrete is made of cement
sand and crushed rock. The sand should
be clean. coarse and sharp. River bot.
tom sand. when fine and round. should
not be used where much strength Is re-
quired.
A a test of sand. rub it in the hand.
and IL there is much dirt left on the
hand discard the sand. If when a large,
handful of the sand is thrown into a
pail of wafer it leaves the water mud.
dy. discard 1t. A dirty sand makes Il
weak concrete. Crushed rock is much'
better tina screened gravel because of
the rougher edges.
'Of cement. sand and crushed rock
used for making concrete there are four
recognized mixtures.
% Rich Mixture-One part Portland
cement. two parts clean. coarse sand,
four parts crushed rock. Rich concrete
is used for floors. fence posts. etc.
CD Medium Mixture-One part Port.
land cement, two and one-half parts
clean coarse sand. five parts crushed
rock. This mixture is used for walks
thin walls. etc.
go Ordinary Mixture-One part ce-.
ment. three parts sand. and six parts
crushed rock. For heavy walls. piers,
abutments. etc.
4) Lean mlxture-One part cement,
-four parts sand. eight parts crushed
rock. Fer footings where volume and
not strength are needed.
When gravel is used the proportions
are one part Of cement and from six
the amount of sand in the gravel.
Measuring Must Be Exact.
I'm making floors. barns. fence posts.
bridges. etc. rcinforccmer.s Of iron are
absolutely essential.
Measure exact mounts of ~ach part.
Mix thoroughly. and not too long be-
fore applying the water. cen.en. will
Set in from twenty to thirty minutes.
II disturbed after that il loses it's
strength.
Mix the sand and water dry and
then add water to bring il to the con-
sistency of mortar. Add the proper
quantities of crushed. rock and mix all
together. In this way tho sane grains
are all covered with the finer particles
of cement and the crushed rock, when
added. has all voids filled with Il tenn
perate mixture. giving the greatest
strength.
In two weeks concrete gains
strength sufficient for ordinary use, but
sixty days should elnpse before It is
given IL full load.
D not allow concrete work to dry
out fast. as cracks will appear. It
should be protected from the sun for
from three to Ave days and %sprinkledi
with water to insure even setting
throughout the concrete.
Freezing Ruins Concrete.
When concrete freezes it is OF no
use and should be taken out. Con-
crete can he laid in freezing weather
ny resorting to fires. or using water.
with one pound OF salt to eighteen gall
Ions OF water. Add three ounces Of
salt for each degree below SO r. This,
lowers the freezing point. but n the
sailed water freezes the concrete is
spoiled.
Basement floors. the porch floor
steps. walks. hitching posts. horse
block. stable floors for cattle and hogs
all foundation work for walls. wind.
mus n gasoline engines. c~isterns and
watering troughs. milk house. etc.
may be made of concrete. Cement ia
the most available means of keepinr
strict sanitary conditions.
ROOT cellars and silos. bridges. Gull
TO the list. ~
If your subsoil is porous. allowing
.he water TO fan away rapidly so there
Is no chance for heaving the soil during
1reezlne weather. then there is little
need for excavation of the earth II the
foundation is solid.
When the subsoil is a stir clay. the
speaker has followed the practice Of
e~xcavating from thirteen to fourteen
inches deep. and filling with cinders to
Within four and one-half inches of the
tc!IH tamping down the cinders. Gravel,
WI! do. II cinders are not available.
'Iwo-by-fours are used for the sides
OF the form and great care is Used to
level them. A crown is formed by rails
Ing the middle Of the walk one-fourth
inch for every loot in width.
me medium mixture is used. wet
ting 1t SO 1t will pnck we'll. 1t is them
shoveled INTO the forms n pounded
low the top Of the forms.
Allow for Changes in Weather.
THE two by fours at the Sides are
now marked every four feet. and the
walk cut through the concrete to the
cinders to allow for expansion and con-
traction in warm and cold weather.
The surface coating is composed of
one part ement and two and one-half
parts. of sand. This layer is mixed to
the consistency of mortar and spread
over the concrete in the forms.
The surface is struck off by a,
u which gives the proper amount
OF crown. and after settling n few min
utes 1t is rubbed smooth with a troweI,
Too much rubbing will separate the &C.
ment and "a particles and leave an
unsatisfactory appearance. The sur
face layer must also be cut at the same
points as the concrete layer below.
Cover the walk to protect It from
the sun, and IL it is sprinkled with va
ter from time to time thai will insure,
an even setting OF the materials. In