Popular Science Monthly 

 Keeping Rats Out of the reinforced 



Com- Crib 



SPECIALISTS in rural engineering 

 have worked out plans for a corn- 

 crib that will aid in the drying of corn 

 and protect it from the rats. There are 

 usually two cribs in the complete 

 structure, each 32 ft. long by 

 8 ft. wide, with a capacity of 

 1,000 bushels each. 



The cribs are separated by 

 a driveway 12 ft. wide and 

 covered by a gable roof. The 

 driveway may be of concrete 

 or dirt. If the ground is well 

 drained, a dirt driveway will 

 answer. If the floor is of con- 

 crete it will serve as a feeding 

 floor for hogs. A wood floor 

 would harbor rats. 



A concrete foundation is put 

 in for all the walls. This 

 should extend from below frost 

 line to 6 in. above ground for 

 the outer wall and 8 in. for the 

 wall. The space between the 

 should be filled with well tamped cinders 

 or gravel, and on this a concrete floor 

 laid. The difference in height between 

 the foundations will give a 2-in. pitch 

 to the floor towards the outer edge and 

 drain off water that may beat through 

 the walls. The cinders or gravel under 



Oil 

 the surface 



concrete with 

 troweled to a finish. 



If a concrete driveway is used, 6 in. of 

 gravel should be tamped down in a 4-in. 

 floor with float finish laid on top. The 

 iron sockets, which can be readily 

 obtained on the market, should be set 



Double corn-crib with concrete floor, wire mesh 

 and iron strip on lower part to keep out rats 



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Floor plan of the double com-crib in which 

 is incorporated a driveway made of concrete 



the floor prevent moisture rising. The 

 crib floor should be constructed of 4-in. 



ill while the concrete floor is being 

 laid. The studs should be 2 in. by 6 in. 

 The siding on the outer walls consists 

 of i-in. by 6-in. boards with upper and 

 lower edges beveled at 45 degrees. 

 They should be about 1^ in. apart. 

 This permits entry of air, while the 

 beveled edges lessen the danger of rain 

 or snow beating in. 



The siding facing the drive- 

 way need not be beveled, as 

 there is no necessity for protec- 

 tion from rain at this point, 

 and the siding should not be 

 carried higher than 6}^ ft. 

 This permits the crib to be fill- 

 ed by throwing the corn over 

 the boards. If the quantity is 

 sufficient to fill the crib above 

 this point, additional siding 

 can be hung on 20-penny 

 nails driven into the inner 

 side of the studs. The boards 

 have holes at proper intervals 

 to fit over the spikes and are 

 held in place by the pressure 

 of the corn. 



The rat-proofing is a feature 



which the farmer cannot afford 



to neglect. Wire netting of 



^2-in. mesh is put on all sides 



of the corn between studs and siding 



and carried to a height of 30 in. above 



