The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1909-01-14
concRErE ON THE FARM
Usefulness Has Vide Range and Is
as Durable as Stone.

% OITdDie as Otcnes
By kn,rc~ P. Arderron. Instructor in Civil In
ginferI1g u. 9. Assistant Engineer. Office Of /
Public stoada, Washington ssetS College.
Concrete, while a comparatively new
material, has fully demonstrated its I
in a wide and varied field. I
In durability for most purposes il
stands on par with the best and hard /
est stone, while for cheapness it sur
passes almost any other form Of con-
struction approaching it in permanency.
The great railroads and other large
construction con.panies have come to
fully understand its value, and are
adopting concrete construction to a
surprising extent.
The farmer in general has, however,
as yet failed to avail himself Of the
advantages which concrete offers.
There are great many constructions
about the farm for which corcrete is
especially fitted, and where experience
has demonstrated its superiority above
anything else when both cheapness and
permanency are considered. For found
atoms for farm buildings, barn and Gel
lar floors, walks, drain tiles, watering
troughs, fence posts and even silos,
the use Of concrete is no longer an ex-
pertinent, but demonstrated success.
One Of the chief reasons why con-
crete should be more generally adopted
on the farm is the ease with which it
can be handled and placed by the farm
er himself without the need of skilled
and high priced labor. Any farmer
who is handy with saw and hand AK
can make the forms required for most
of the constructions on the farm, while
mixing and placing Of the concrete can
also be done by the farmer himself or
by the hired man. Slack times of the
year can thus be utilized for improve
ments instead of being lost as for
merly.
After the general lines of construc-
tion are determined upon, the first step
is to prepare the form. The purpose
of the form is TO hold the wet, slushy
concrete in place until it hardens or
"sets."
In other words, the form is the mold
into which the wet concrete is tamped
and allowed to harden. The inside o.
the form therefore must have exactly
the shape and dimensions desired OF
the finished product. For ground floors
and walks no forms are required, only
such as will keep the concrete from
spreading beyond the limits.
For walks and foundations above the
ground, the form required is smooth
tight board frame on each side of tht
desired wall. This board frame or form
must be tight enough to keep the wet
semi-fuid concrete from leaking out
and strong enough to prevent spreading
while the concrete is being tamped
The forms may be built to their full
height at once, or few boards added
at the time as the work of placing tn,
6 concrete progresses. Usually it is I
] good policy to spend extra time ant
care on the forms. A good form in
sures a neat, clean looking wall, pro
8 viding a spade is used freely along tn
{ boards so as to work the larger stone
/: back from the surface and leave
5 smooth compact face.
:. If particularly smooth job is desiI
j ed, the forms should be made of dress
{ ed lumber and fitted very closely
r Shiplap is very good for forms of thi
{ class. If one inch lumber is used fo
D, the forms, the studding must not es
+ coed two feet apart, nor five feet
two inch lumber is used. If the wa
is 70 BE- more than four or FIVE feet i
height it is well to set the studs Il
: gether with 'bailing wire" in order I
prevent their spreading When tn
forms are removed, the wires can b
cut with pair of nippers so close
the wall as to never show.
For ordinary walls of low height an
i not Immediately subject to heavy loaC
ing, the forms may be safely remove
e in from two two three days. In yer
=. dry weather the concrete should
sprinkled often enough to keep
moist for at least week after placing
A light covering of straw, earth or o.
i hurlaD will help to retain the moistul
and retard evaporation from the col
/ crete.
3 Too much emphasis cannot be lai
on the need Of care in selecting ii
material and properly mixing the col
crete. The cement should be a stan
y ard brand which has demonstrated il
value through years Of use, which r
liable tests show to be perfectly SCUM
and should be free from Jumps.
l The sand should be fairly coars
asonably clean and entirely FRI
'e from vegetable matter. The grav
should be clean, free from vegetab
" material and for most farm uses Il
larger pebbles should not exceed Of
and a half inches in diameter. o
NJ in absence of suitable gravel, brok'
lie stone Of a similar size may be used.
The proportions most general
+ adapted for farm purposes are mi
% lures of one part cement, two par
sand and three parts gravel, call
1928 mixture; or one part cement, ty
~ and half pats sand and five par
gravel, called a 1875 mixture; a
il one part cement, three parts sand a
,u SIX parts gravel, or a 1876 mixtul
n, For floors, thin walls, or where wat
tightness is required, or parts requi
inggreat strength, a 1928 or Is
mixture is preferable. For parts ]
ne curing bulk rather than strength,
~ 1876 mixture may be employed. or
some cases even a las mixture.
the gravel contains much sand, I
amount Of sard should be reduced.
er How About Fathers
Ell yes. children" said the nurse. the 81
u. aa ~. N.a.H "a.