Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-12-09
CONCRETE FEEDING FLOOR AND HOG TROUGH

Just 6 feet 5 inches long, nail these in
side the half circles with the edges ex-
actly even with edge of half circles
Now tack tin strips to these to bend
them over to make a half-round sur
lace oy having five strips to hold the
1lhs' They will hold them perfectly
IN position and the tin will mold the
INSIDE OF the trough much smoother
than If wood were used
II 1t is not possible to use the tin to
cover the half circular part of this
mold cut your half circles just one inch
smaller. This requires setting COM
pass at 5H inches. Nail in position as
formerly then cut wood strips of 1
inch square and s feet inches long
and nail to the outside of the half
circles, which shows in illustration
Fig. 2.
In molding the trough mix four parts
of clean, sharp sand with one part of
Portland cement mix thoroughly while
dry and then wet this thoroughly and
lamp into the mold for trough. Throw
in part OF the mortar to fill same then
lamp it down and wet again. Fill I'D
the rest and level off the top. of mold
with stick, resting on both side
pieces of same.
Inc advantage gained in pudding
the concrete mixture is to pack it hard :
er and secure greater density. also
to have it shrink in size. which it will
ABOUT one quarter of an inch in drying,
This enables you to tip over the mold
and the completed trough will drop
out easily. Do not try to take from
the mold for at least a week. and it is
better to remain two weeks SO as to
dry slowly which will cure" it much
! slower and better
If desired before moldtng Won NAV
place ring and bolt at each end en-
the bolt viii 1nbed in the concrete,
rms Will leave the ring free when the
trough is nodded and will be very
handy to use in turning over the trough
| to clean.
For the main part of feeding floor
| mix one part of Portland cement. two
parts of clean sharp sand and four
| parts of small gravel about one-half ia
one inch in size. Mix Thoroughly while
dry and then wet with water. Do not
make this as wet as the mixture for
trough, just thoroughly damp
| Shovel into forms set for the floor
and lamp down as fast as put in. Fill
up the center trif1e higher than 4
| inches. then with strip of lumber
one width of the inside of the floor. Won
! can level it over nearly. easilv and
exactly. After leveling with wood strin
| troWel finish the same. and if an
| inch extra finish is desired cover with
thin coat of sand and cement mixed
one of cement to two of sand and
smoothed down with trowel
The sides are filled to the top. tanned
down securely and the centers rounded
over with trowel; also the edges So
that no sharp edges are left for the
hogs to injure themselves against
1t makes it much better to grade tha
dirt of the yard up to within two
inches of the top of feeding floor. This
will make it easier for the hogs to stem
| onto same and also is enough to IRE.
vent them roofing too much dirt into 1t.
Where the feeding floor is to be used
without cover for same it will be
necessary to provide for drainage This
can be done by setting in the concrete
on four sides, short pieces of 2-incb
gas pipe. These should be 4 inches
long and are placed in the mortar when
molding same so as to be level with
the floor inside curbing If desired
these can be placed on one side only
and the opposite side of the floor raised
/ or 1 inches whom molding. This
Will allow the water to flow away as
fast as it falls and the floor will al
ways be clean and dry as each rain
will carry away most of the refuse left
from feeding