26 



1HE IRRIGATION AGE, 



this manner are permanent, sanitary ancT 

 comfortable for stock, when all the neces- 

 sary conditions are complied with, which 

 includes proper care in building and the 

 necessary subsequent cleanliness. 



Cementing directly on the ground in 

 this manner, is all right provided the 

 ground is hard and dry. Judgment is re- 

 quired in this as well as in all other trans- 

 actions pertaining to the farm; if the soil 

 is a hard clay the cement may be much 

 thinner than for a soil of a loamy or looser 

 nature. On the other hand, if the soil is 

 sandy a thin layer of broken stone or 

 coarse gravel may be necessary. Where 

 gravel is used on sand, some kind of a 

 binder is sometimes required. This may 

 be a mixture of clay and ashes, or loam 

 and ashes or clay alone, but whatever 

 method is employed, condition must be 

 carefully studied to obtain the best re- 

 sults. Even cisterns may be plastered 

 directly on the earth with satisfactory re- 

 sults, if the nature of the ground is hard 

 and dry and the cistern covered sufficient- 

 ly to keep out the frost. 



As a silo is a necessary adjunct to the 

 stable and should be built in connection, 

 the silo foundation should be built at the 

 same time that the stable foundation is 

 laid. The same rules will apply and the 

 same construction may be followed in all 

 except the design of the wall which will 

 of course, depend on the size and dimen- 

 sions of the silo. This will be taken up 

 in a separate article and treated at length 

 in the near future. 



In stable construction the question of 

 sanitation is comparatively new. Ad- 

 vanced stockmen have for years recognized 

 the value to animals of plenty of fresh air 

 without knowing exactly why. 



In this series of articles, describing the 

 experiments of Mr. F. A. Converse and 

 his illustration of good dairy work at the 

 Pan-American Exposition, it is my inten 

 tion to explain this, and to show how a 

 cheap, effective, sanitary stable may be 



built. In former articles I described the 

 proper location for a sanitary stable and 

 the manner of constructing a foundation 

 and floor for the same. This article will 

 describe the proper construction of a 

 stable from the wall up. 



We have built a wall from below frost 

 to the upper surface of the cement floor. 

 We do not wish to carry it higher because 

 a difference in temperature between the 

 inside and outside of the wall causes 

 dampness to collect on the inner surface. 

 This may be seen in the form of white 

 frost is almost any cellar or root house 

 during the winter season. It is also notice- 

 able in stables under bank barns and this 

 is one of the great objections to this class 

 of stable. 



The stable should be built entirely sepa- 

 rate from the barn although it may be con- 

 nected therewith at one end for conven- 

 ience in feeding. It "may be connected 

 with a silo for the same reason. 



The stable building should be of light 

 construction, only one story in height, 

 and in no case should storage be provided 

 overhead. The building should be con- 

 structed practically air tight, but fresh 

 air should by no means bo shut out. 



Commencing with the top wall, a sill, 

 six inches square should be embedded in 

 fresh cement mortar. Studding, 2"x6"x8 ft 

 long are placed thereon, three feet apart 

 to be nailed into the sill with a 2" x 6" 

 plate, spiked on top; the studding care- 

 fully placed and plumbed, especially 

 where the doors and windows come. 



Building paper must be used both inside 

 and outside of studding, thus making a 

 six-inch dead air space, which is the most 

 satisfactory non conductor of heat or cold. 

 This paper maybe protected with cheaper 

 expensive boarding at the option of the 

 builder. If the paper be carefully put on 

 it will provide the necessary air space 

 without respect to the quality of the lum- 

 ber used. Salvage should be left on the 

 paper at all openings, sufficient to reach 



