BUILDINGS 



tending into the ground below the frost line. An adequate 

 footing at least twice as wide as the foundation wall is thick 

 is necessary. The width of the footing should be at least 16 

 inches, and in certain loose soils should be as much as 20 

 inches. Very often the concrete is placed only under 

 the sills or sleepers, usually extending in three strips the 

 length of the crib; this leaves the ends open for the admis- 

 sion of rodents, however, and at a comparatively small ex- 

 penditure of time and labor this could be entirely closed up. 



Floors. From some standpoints it would be a de- 

 sirable thing to use concrete for the floors of cribs and 

 granaries. However, in some localities a decided objection 

 exists to the use of concrete as a flooring material, the ob- 

 jection being based on the belief that it is retentive of mois- 

 ture and will induce rot in grain. It is entirely possible to 

 construct a concrete floor that will be practically dry by 

 making it of a rich mixture so as to make it dense and 

 impermeable, having first provided for excellent drainage 

 so that there will be no accumulation of moisture beneath 

 the floor. In this connection the foundation wall of con- 

 crete extending all the way around is advantageous since it 

 prevents the ingress of moisture beneath the floor. 



The objections that have been raised to the use of wood 

 as a flooring material are the difficulty of maintaining the 

 floor in good condition and its liability to rot from dampness 

 underneath. The first difficulty can be overcome by using 

 heavier lumber of a better grade and putting it in with the 

 proper support. The second objection can be met with the 

 statement that if proper ventilation is provided beneath the 

 floor it will not rot. The reason that so many wood floors 

 in cribs and granaries do rot is that rodents gain access 

 to the space beneath the floor and in their burrowing pile 

 up huge mounds of moist earth against the floor, when, of 

 course, rotting will occur very rapidly. 



If well done it is possible to use creosoted wooden floors, 

 or at least to creosote the sills and under side of the flooring. 

 A brush treatment will help, but in any event the treated 

 lumber should be allowed to remain in the open air a couple 

 of weeks before being put in place, so the odor will largely 

 disappear. 



Framing. The framing of a building for storing grain 

 is equally as important as the foundation, because it is the 



Five 



