Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-23

for years. The United States govern
ment experiment stations, the state
agricultural colleges, the railroads, the
stockyards. and hundreds Of farmers
have given concrete posts thorough
trial in the fence row and have found
them entirely satisfactory. Well made,
they last forever. With concrete posts
in line there is no annual repair In
the spring when the time can be much
better spent in the fields Anybody can
make hrst-class concrete posts, pro-
vided he gives careful attention to the
selection of the materials; perfect mix
ing and careful moulding OF the con-
crete; and thorough curing or season
ing Of the posts.
Materials for Making Concrete.
The sand used for making concrete
fence posts should be clean and
coarse Coarse sand, varying in size
of grain. makes stronger concrete and
requires less cement than fine or dirt
sand. Loan or clay can be easily wash
ed out either on a sloping board plat
form. wire screen. or in an inclined
V-shaped wooden trough.
Gravel Just as dug from the pit is
sometimes. tho very rarely, found with
the right proportion of sand and
gravel. The mixture best suited for
concrete posts Is two parts sand to
four parts gravel, in which all pebbles
less than one fourth inch are consider
Ell sand and all larger than three
fourths inch are discarded. BY screen
ing the gravel and later remixinY the
sand and pebbles in the proper pro-
portions, not only will better posts be
made, but even the extra labor OF
screening will be paid for by the saw
ing in cement. There should be no dirt
in the gravel and the pebbles should
be hard kind Of stone.
The best crushed rock for concrete is
a kind that is clean and hard. such as
trap. granite and hard limestone.
Shale, slate, sandstone and soft lime
stone must not be used. The crushed
rock should be screened only to remove
the dust All stones larger than three
fourths inch should be removed.
In the manufacture Of fence posts
choose a brand Of Portland cement
which the local dealer will guarantee
to meet the requirements OF the
American Society for Testing Materi-
ais and the American Society of Civil
Engineers. Any good tasting drinking
water is suitable for concrete.
Mixing the Concrete.
One great advantage in using con-
crete for any farm purpose is, that 1t
can be made with the tools already at
hand For posts one needs mixing
board SKIP feet (the tight, even floor
of building will do). two short hand
led No. paddy shovels. and couple
Of screens made by mailing one-fourth
inch and three fourths inch mesh wire
screenings. 2hx5 feet to frames made
| Of 2x4 inch timbers. Since guess work
| will not do In making posts. box for
measuring the materials IL necessary
Make bottomiess box twelve by four
teen and tfree-eighths by ten inches
deep, all measurements on the inside.
Such a box holds one cubic foot, the
quantity Of loose cement in cement
bag. The inches in height may be
marked with brass headed tacks
Measurement of materials is then easy,
as each inch in height represents one
tenth u-10) Of one cubic foot. II, on
account Of its size, the use of this
box il too slow for measuring sand and
gravel or crushed rock, another box
may be made twice or four times a.
large.
/ For concrete from unscreened bank
run gravel, one-half Of the gravel re-
quired for q batch Of posts should be
spread out on the mixing board in an
oblong shape. Upon this distribute
evenly the full amount Of Portland ce-
ment and then the remainder Of the
gravel Two men facing each other a,
the same end Of the batch turn the dry
cement and gravel with a Hopping
dragging stroke until the mixture has
1 q uniform color. When the scattered
4 materials have been heaped up in q
rim around the outside Of the pile
iabout three-fourths (k) Of the water
necessary 10 added by means Of &
sprinkler, q kler-bucket or hose
with q spray nozzle. No liquid cemen'
should be wasted. Turn the mixture
cut It open. add the remaining one.
fourth {H) Of the water and again turr
until no dry spots appear. Tie con.
crete should now be % 5Mets that =
more water were added, it, would rul
ont Of the concrete.
IN general the mixing Of crushet
rock o. screened gravel 10 very SINH
lar to that Of bank-run sravel I'M
fun amount Of sanA = spread out up
On the board an1 upon It the neces
! sAry amount Of cement 10 evenly dis
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