The Question Box. 400 



farm implements every year than we are asked to pay in State 

 taxes. 



What will be the cost per square foot for cement floors? Would you 

 have the cows stand on the cement floor or on plank? 



Mr. Cook. — This cement floor question is an important one, 

 both from a sanitary and financial standpoint; but, owing to 

 prejudice and a want of knowledge, there have been but very 

 few cement floors put in until of late. Further cause was the 

 high price of imported cement; now, however, we can get home- 

 made cement fully as good, if not better than that imported, for 

 one dollar less per barrel, so that, with this decrease in cement 

 price and the increase in the price of lumber, the cement floors 

 will not cost any more than the plank. There are several Ameri- 

 can brands of cement which are all good. If the foundation is 

 good and water does not get into it, there will be no need of mak- 

 ing a grout foundation. All there is of it, is to get a foundation 

 that will not settle. We have cement floors that were laid di- 

 rectly on the earth, which have never settled. 



Mr. Cook exhibited a chart on which was a crayon drawing 

 which showed a cement floor and gutter in -his stable or rather 

 in the one which he will build this summer and which he fully 

 described, thus making the explanation much better understood. 

 He said he did not believe there would be any trouble with the 

 standing on a cement floor, if, when it is finished, it is floated off 

 with a board instead of being troweled down, as the snifriro will 

 then be a trifle rough, so that the bedding under the ecus will 

 not slip off. If, however, one does not want his fows to staul on 

 the cement, scantling may be imbeded in the cement, across the 

 stalls and when the cement is hard, plank may be put down, but 

 the gutters and the distance between the cows' hind feet and the 

 gutter should be troweled down and be made smooth. 



Would you use sawdust In a stable as an absorbent? 



Mr. Converse. — Yes, if you can't get anything else; but straw 

 is of much more value, if you can get it. Sawdust, on heavy land, 

 might have a benefit in lightening the soil, however. 



