Re-inforced Concrete for Farm and Estate Purposes. 137 



Hardwicke, where the granite aggregate used cost some 12s. per 

 ton, the homestead cubed out at a fraction over 2d. per foot (not 

 including the cost of forms), and it is obvious that the cost 

 would be even less in places where gravel or other suitable 

 aggregate could be obtained near the site. Buildings erected 

 by Mr. Geldart for the complete equipment of a small holding 

 cubed at a little less than 2^d., and on the whole, he finds that 

 the saving is about 25 per cent, over brickwork. 



At Burderop, the cost of a set of Mr. Hopkins' patent 

 moulds sufficient for the work was 45^., and they were still 

 good enough on the completion of the job for the construction 

 of two other buildings of the same type, which reduces the 

 cost, per set of buildings, to 151. As the moulds are taken 

 off directly the concrete has been rammed hard, the outlay on 

 them is necessarily less than in a process where the concrete is 

 used in a wet condition, and time has to be allowed for setting 

 before the forms can be removed for use on the next stage. 

 Mr. Hopkins gives the following figures of the actual net cost 

 of a day's work by a gang of men engaged on the cowshed at 

 Burderop : — 



Materials and Labour. 



1^ c. yds., say 50 cwt. aggregate, plus 25 per cent. 



for shrinkage = 38 cwt. . at 7s. per ton 



6 cwt Cement .... at .30.?. per ton 



Steel Re-inforcement . ..... 



Labour, including foreman ..... 



Work done. 



i) lengths, each 9 ft. 2 in. X 1 ft. 6 in. X i in. thick of walling. 



This is equivalent to 123 ft. 9 in. super of 4 in. work, or II, 

 cubic yds., equal to 31, cubic yds. of 9 in. brickwork. This 

 at 23.S'. per yard amounts to il. Os. 6d., so that there is a good 

 margin to cover use of moulds, and to allow for extra cost in 

 the construction of the columns. 



At the present time Mr. Hopkins is engaged upon a contract 

 for floors, mangers, stall divisions, and water supply for a large 

 cowshed, and the cost is about Al. 10s. per cow. Without 

 the floor the remainder of the work would be 21. 10s. per 

 cow. 



As regards the suspension bridges at Knowlmere, details 

 of the cost are not available. All the work was, however, 

 carried out by the estate labourers, aided only by the local 

 blacksmith, and carpenter. No masons or bricklayers were 

 employed. 



By the courtesy of the Associated Portland Cement Manu- 

 facturers (1900) Ltd., the-^following figures ^are available 



