Advantages of Concrete on Farms 



Farmers of all classes will find it profitable to have con- 

 crete buildings, troughs, tanks and walks on their prem- 

 ises. 



Persons starting in agriculture should not neglect the 

 opportunity to have substantial and fireproof structures. 

 It is easy to go ahead on this line from the beginning, 

 though hard to change after a start has been made with 

 frame buildings. 



Concrete is as cheap as lumber for building purposes, 

 and even cheaper, if sand, gravel and labor are largely 

 furnished on the place. An ordinary farm hand will be- 

 come expert in the use of concrete with a few days' expe- 

 rience. 



Silos, barns and other buildings made of this material 

 are much safer than wood against fire and storm. There 

 is satisfaction in knowing that live stock, machinery and 

 crops are not in danger of being destroyed by the flames. 

 It is a pleasure also to have the snug shelter and 

 tasty appearance that may be obtained from cement 

 construction. 



The largest part of concrete is the gravel or crushed 

 stone. This should be clean; that is, free from loam, 

 clay or vegetable matter. The best results are obtained 

 from a mixture of sizes graded from the smallest, which 

 is retained on a one-fourth inch screen, to the larger ones 

 that will pass a one and one-half inch ring. For heavy 

 foundation and abutment work, larger sized pebbles and 

 stones might be used, while for reinforced concrete work 



151 



