FOREWORD 



IT is the purpose of the writer to present in this 

 series of books a complete explanation of various 

 successful methods of concrete construction that may 

 be employed by the beginner as well as by the more 

 experienced worker. I shall endeavor to give the 

 details of molds and ideas that are not covered by 

 patents, such as may be easily and cheaply con- 

 structed; hence the reader is not compelled to pur- 

 chase expensive patented molds before putting into 

 practise the many successful types of concrete con- 

 struction I have exhaustively described in this series. 

 There is no practical value to the reader in explain- 

 ing a patented system of construction, other than a 

 few words on its merits, as the owners of same are 

 always pleased to give this information; hence in 

 going outside the beaten track of concrete authors 

 and presenting ideas, systems, and molds that are 

 practical, successful in operation, and, above all, 

 easily and simply constructed, I trust that I have 

 merited the sincere gratitude of all fellow workers 

 in the concrete field who seek such information. 

 Yours very truly, 



A. A. HOUGHTON. 



215500 



