Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-03-02
CONCRETE FENCEP0STS.
Scarcity of Suitable Timber Makes
Substitute Necessary.

Prepared by United States department "a!
agricultural
The growing scarcity OF suitable tim
Ter for fenceposts In many parts OF
he country is tending to develop
more widespread use OF steel and con
crete for this purpose. steel posts are
very easily handled. and fences may be
erected in a short time with them
They have been criticised. however.
on the ground that they are bent 10y
heavy stock rubbing against them
This may be avoided by constructing
the fence SO that 1t Is tight enough to
transmit the strain OF pressure which
is brought to bear upon il to the end
posts and the intermediate line posts
The use of heavier steel posts will also
10 away with this objection.
For concrete great argument is its
durability. To secure this. however.
much care must be exercised in the Sc
lection OF materials and In the con
struction OF posts. Gravel or crushed
rock should be used which does not
exceed one-half inch or run under one
quarter inch I'm diameter. The sand
should he clean and fairly close. The
best results are obtained from very
rich mixture. which should contain one
part cement. two parts sand and three
parts gravel. 1t does not pay to stint
the quantity Of cement. for the slight
reduction i'm cost obtained in this wa.
viii be Offset by great difference a.
The quality Of the post.
Homemade wooden forms may be
used. but better results are obtained
from steel forms. Both types OF forms
however, should bc thoroughly CLEANED
and oiled before using. The best time
for cleaning IS just after the greer
posts arc removed from the molds and
before there Is time for particles of
concrete 10 harden on them Oiiinc
should be done before the concrete f.
put in. small amount 90 machine a..
applied with brush answering 10,
purpose
The concrete should contain Jus
enough water u enable it 10 he pom
ri and no more. Afice !, B. 81 fh
moids il should Dc iarrrl or 'i r-tm
tn order that Co. s'.'ia- tir
lut whatever air Sc o9.t
essential fn The f'n
m00fh pnsC Dril
bc removed ftsa t3.
" Netr-lour h1rr
ihou hp hid oY 9a aut
Kept cove al
Duing tli t.re iles st
slcl with waicr deily fo fl.t.u
Trying ort too rapidly Attle c.l D..
this period hey may 20 led or
end in piios whore they sIrlii be lofl
FOR at least mouth coz better, three
months
owing to toe excessive weight of
oncrote poi ts 30 is doubtful whether
enelHg can De erected as quickly with
hem 8s win wooden posts. they must
llso To- handled vcw carefully and
wen set in the ground TO prevent heav-
ing III the post docs hcave sufficiently
20 lean over its weight may pun the
fence down.
I'm experiments conducted by the
state college In Iowa the cost Of the
cement used IN concrete fence posts
was found to vary from TO S cents
a post The cost OF reinforcing rods
was from Q TO IL cents per post. If
sand and gravel are available on the
farm and the work may be done at a
season OF the year when the time
might not otherwise be proftably en-
ployed the construction OF concrete
fenceposts at these costs Is quite
feasible. In the winter, however. care
must be taken not to allow the con
crete TO freeze.