Imperial Valley press., 1913-08-21
pa,Hssny ~ Barn.

Faciflc Nurei Press: Whne tins
farmer keeps up in mc.s al lines u
improvements, such az machinery
buildings aud up-to-da', equipment,
ore noticeable point wli ch seems 70 d.
overlooked by a great many Is The
painting Of the farm buildings.
In view of the fact thai perhaps no
other line Of business has as much in
vested in buildings as the farmer Il
would seem that there : a big yearly
loss on the farm from neglect in this
form.
This may not be true with The farm
residence as much as it is with barns,
fences and other outbuildings, which
are really the only buildings which
the ordinary busy farmer has time or
ability to paint properly anyway.
In the first place we wish to impress
upon our readers that paint is primar
lily for preserving the wood and sec
ondarily for looks and not vice versa,
as so many present-day people seem
10 think. While it is true that ap-
pearance should be considered, the
] modern builder seems to provide al
most everything for looks and let
quality look after itself
This scheme of painting may be all
right for the speculator who is erecting
buildings which he proposes to sell in
a short time. but as very few farmers
will paint with that end in view they
should give as much attention to the
material used as to The way it looks
when applied.
First. then, in painting the barn or
other outbuildngs, select good mater
ial either by purchasing some brand of
good ready mixed paint or else pur
chasing pure linseed oil and pigments
ard mixing it yourself.
Providing mixed paints are used, one
should understand that there are good
and bad mixed paints and the cheaper
they are offered the more chance there
Is Of getting a poorer quality, for no
Cpe has vet discovered any paint for
mula which compares with linseed oil
as a preservative, and the cheaper the
paint the less linseed oil one should
eAepct
As white lead paint is seldom used
on outbuildings the chief interest OF
this article should center around the
mineral paints, such as reds, browns
and greens. In preparing the paint,
whether ready-mixed or home mixed. "a
barrel is the best thing to use for mix
ing in, as it will hold nearly enough to
cover the surface Of an ordinary build
ing, and, what is more important. gives
yrur> color uniform shade This nVint
seems to be one that the average anAs-
teur falls down on, for one often sees
Ia roof or a side with several shades
Of the same color
II oil and color are to be mixed.
pour in the oil first and then add
enough dry color such as the mineral
reds or browns to get the desired
shade. For rough work these are the
only materials needed. Perhaps no def
mite directions can be given as to tn,
proper way Of applying other than to
say that when starting the roof paint
a stretch about ten shingles wide clear
across the roof and continue the work
III stretches OF about this width. By
dong this, laps are not SO apt to show
and 1t will be found much easier than
any other method. When no roof lacks
are available to work from. 2y4
about Is feet long may be used by
haiilng on shingles every four or five
feet, which in turn are lightly tackled
on to the roof.
When painting the sides an ordinary
ladder is usually handy, and the side
walls should be done in practically the
same manner as the roof, by taking
certain number Of boards as a stretch
either from top to bottom or from side
10 side, as the case may be.
Inc painting Of rough lumber is so
simple that perhaps more need not be
sad on the subject except to again
state that farmers in general should
use more paint, both for the beautify-
ing OF their homes and for the preser-
Walton Of the wood which at presen.
prices is high enough to warrant noth-
ing but the best Of paint