Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-01-14

long as cement. tile building IS
warmer than single walled cement
one on account of the dead air space
in the walls 1t takes much less skill
to put up Il tile building than one of
cement, and consequently the cost OF
construction will be less For the
smaller buildings the tile may be put
up edgewise. In building the barn il
will be necessary to lay them flatwise
they may he set on edge. They should
be laid in strong cement mortar. &c.
mcnt blocks may be used in the same
manner as the building tile.
Roofs and Floors.
There are many roofing materials
Some of these can be purchased little
cheaper, but in lasting qualities they
are little better than good shingles.
The life of shingles can be increased
three or four times by treating them
with creosote as described in article
L. The only trouble with this IS the
discomfort of handling the treated
shingles.
For floors there is nothing better
than cement. Cement floors are much
more durable than any other kind and
cost only little more to start with.
For the smaller buildings the floor can
be built first and the building set on
it with no other foundation. Heavy
buildings. like barns. should have solid
stone foundations. The hog house floor
may be built to extend out about
twelve feet on each side, thus making
a clean feeding floor for the fattening
hogs or a summing place for the early
pigs.
The foundation for cement floor
should consist of six inches or more
of cinders or gravel. If the location
is not high and we'll drained line of
tile should be laid through this mate
rial to carry away any water that may
collect. On this foundation a layer OF
concrete should be laid three to five
for which the floor is to be used
Horse stable floors need to be much
stronger than those for hog house
or machine shed. For most farm pur
poses the best proportions to mix this
concrete are one part cement, three
parts clean sand and six parts broker
stone or gravel. This should be spread
smoothly and tamped. AS soon as j
has set for a few hours it is ready
for the finishing coat.
A finishing or wearing surface is nee
essary where the floor is subject t,
much use. 1t is also smoother ant
easier to keep clean. 1t should b
made of one part portland cement t
one and onehalf parts sand and be pu
on to depth of from one to one an,
one half inches. AS soon as it has be
gun to set it can be grooved into block
about six inches square to prevent tn
animals from slipping. The foo
should be covered with about an inc
of sand and sprinkled daily for two c
three weeks. when it will be ready fo
). use.
@ Cement Tanks.
r Cement tanks are durable and con
paratively cheap. Several small one
In the different yards. connected wit
the well or with an elevated tank b
underground pipes. are a great col
: venience. The water in small'tanks
. changed often and hence is kept fires
. Where the pumping is done by vim
> mill there is danger of small tar
y going dry during calm. but with
u storage tank or a gasoline engine
II pump this trouble is eliminated.
y A foundation of gravel or cinde
u should be made much the same as f
g a floor. Rough boards can be used
t. make forms. These should be greas
of on the inside, the concrete mixed
er the consistency of jelly and poured
st and tamped Woven wire makes go
1T reinforcing for small tanks For Ii
IS ger ones steel rods will be needed. Il
O. proper mixture for concrete tank
d. eight parts cement, two parts sa
III and four parts gravel The side wa
" should slope outward toward the t.
I'd