FARM MANAGEMENT 59 



on top of the sand and cement, and spread as evenly as possible. 

 About three-fourths of the required amount of water should be 

 added with a bucket, and the water should be dashed over the gravel 

 on top of the pile as evenly as possible. Care should be taken not 

 to let too much water get near the edges of the pile, because it may 

 wash away some of the cement as it flows off. This caution, how- 

 ever, does not apply to a properly constructed mixing board, where 

 water can not flow away. Starting in the same way as with the 

 sand and cement, the materials should be turned over in much the 

 same manner, except that, instead of shaking them off the end of 

 the shovel, the whole shovel load should be dumped and dragged 

 back toward the mixer with the square point of the shovel. The 

 wet gravel picks up the sand and cement, as it rolls over when 

 dragged back by the shovel, and the materials are thus thoroughly 

 mixed. Water should be added to the dry spots as the mixing goes 

 on until all that is required has been used. The mass should be 

 turned back again, as was done with the sand and cement. With 

 experienced laborers, the concrete would be well mixed after three 

 such turnings ; but if it shows streaky or dry spots, it must be turned 

 again. After the final turning, it should be shoveled into a compact 

 pile. The concrete is now ready for placing. (F. B. 235, 461.) 



Placing the Concrete. After the concrete is properly mixed, it 

 should be placed at once. Concrete may be handled and placed in 

 any way best suited to the nature of the work, provided that the ma- 

 terials do not separate in placing. Concrete may be placed properly 

 by shoveling off the concrete board directly into the work ; by shovel- 

 ing into wheel-barrows, wheeling to the proper place, and dumping; 

 by shoveling down an inclined chute; or by shoveling into buckets 

 and hoisting into place. Concrete should be deposited in layers about 

 6 inches thick, unless otherwise specified. 



Protection of Concrete After Placing. New concrete should not 

 be exposed to the sun until after it has been allowed to harden for five 

 or six days. Each day during that period the concrete should be wet 

 down by sprinkling water on it both in the morning and afternoon. 

 This is done so that the concrete on the outside will not dry out much 

 faster than the concrete in the center of the mass, and it should 

 be carried out carefully, especially during the hot summer months. 

 Old canvas, sheeting, burlap, etc., placed so as to hang an inch 

 or so away from the face of the concrete, serve very well as a pro- 

 tection when wet. Often the concrete forms can be left in place a 

 week or ten days, thus protecting the concrete during the setting-up 

 period, and the above precautions are then unnecessary. 



Forms for Concrete. Concrete is a plastic material and, be- 

 fore hardening, takes the form of anything against which or in 

 which it is placed. Naturally, the building of the form is a most 

 important item in the success of the work. These forms hold the 

 concrete in place, support it until it has hardened, and give it its 

 shape as well as its original surface finish. 



Almost any material which will hold the concrete in place 

 will serve as a form. Concrete foundations for farm buildings re- 



