242 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



SANITARY FLOORS FOR THE DAIRY BARN. 



Method of Laying Concrete Floors With Farm 

 Labor. 



named, the feed alleys, the driveways, the mangers and 

 lastly the gutters. 



MIXING AND LAYING THE CONCRETE. 



For the plan given, 5 feet 6 inches from the cen- 

 ter line of the driveway stake on edge (and to line 

 and grade) a 2 by 12-inch plank, to serve as a form 

 for the stall floor at the gutter. Likewise set a similar 

 board, 5 feet distant, to mold the 6-inch manger wall 

 and stanchion setting. Bear in mind that the stall 

 floor has a slope of 1 inch toward the gutter and 



In the voluntary movement of farmers for better 

 milk at better prices, the first step toward improve- 

 ment is the making of the barn more sanitary by 

 laying concrete floors. The method is so simple that 

 any man can do his own work. The cost is so small 

 and the cash returns are so great that the 

 floors soon pay for themselves in preventing 

 the breeding of flies, in the saving of liquid 

 manure, in the reduction of 'labor, and in 

 the increased flow and improved quality of 

 milk. The plan described below is for a 

 barn in which the two rows of cows stand 

 heels toward each other, with a driveway 

 between. It is easily modified to the oppo- 

 site arrangement. Likewise the method is 

 adaptable to both old and new barns. 



PLANNING AND GRADING THE FLOOR. 



For average conditions lay out the 

 stalls on 3- foot 6-inch centers and 4 feet 6 

 inches in length from 6-inch manger wall to 

 drop gutter. The manger is 2 feet 6 inches 

 wide at the top and 2 feet at the bottom, 

 with one face sloping up to the feed-alley 

 floor. The depth is 7 inches, measured from the that the stanchion setting rises 7 inches above the stall 

 stanchion setting, and 8 inches from the alley floor, floor. Drainage for gutters and mangers will be pro- 

 The feed alley is 4 feet 6 inches wide. The drop- vided by sloping their concrete bottoms, 

 gutter has a width of 18 inches. It is 8 inches deep Proportion the concrete 1 bag of Portland cement 



gauged from the stall floor, which is 2 inches higher to 2 l / 2 cubic feet of sand and 5 cubic feet of crushed 



Sanitary Floor With Concrete Mangc j r and Swinging Stanchions. 



than the 8-foot driveway. For establishing trade lines 

 a carpenter's spirit level (or a water level) and a 

 chalk line are very helpful. 



rock, or 1 bag of cement to 5 cubic feet of clean pit 

 gravel. At one operation lay the full 5-inch thickness 

 of the stall floor and finish three stalls the same as 



To prevent possibility of the floor settling, re- one section of sidewalk. No surfacing mortar is 



move all manure before grading the surface of the 

 earthen floor. Carefully tamp back the dirt around 

 water pipes and the drains which carry waste water 

 and liquid manure to the water-tight concrete manure 

 n't. Do all filling as long as possible before building 

 the concrete floor. Asa foundation for the stall floors 



needed. For setting patented stall divisions, follow 

 the manufacturer's directions; for home-made divi- 

 sions, make mortises by tamping the concrete around 

 greased tapering wooden cores, which are withdrawn 

 as soon as the concrete stiffens. A wooden float is 

 best for finishing the floor. A steel trowel yields a 

 surface entirely too smooth, and such a 

 finish should always be roughened by 

 brushing with a stable broom. 



While the concrete of the three 

 stalls is still soft, mold the stanchion 

 setting (6 inches thick) upon it. As 

 forms use the projecting 7-inch height 

 of the 2 by 12 piece already in place an:l 

 two 1 by 6-inch boards toe-nailed to- 

 gether so as to provide another 7-inch 

 height and a bearing plate to rest on the 

 green concrete. These forms may be 

 made dish-shaped for swinging stanch- 

 ions. Fill the forms with mushy wet 

 concrete, trowel the suface, round the 

 corners, and set the stanchion holders. 



proper, place a 6-inch thickness of coarse broken Repeat the operation until all stall floors are corn- 

 stone or screened gravel to keep the floor from direct pleted. The feed alleys and driveway are easily built: 

 contact with the ground. Since the stall floors are of they are merely rough-finished sidewalks. Place the 



L ross-section of Concrete Dairy-Barn Floor Showing Usual Dimensions. 



prime importance, it is well to make them first. Dur- 

 ing this operation the unpaved driveway and alleys 

 can be used as working space. Then finish, in order 



\vaste-water oulets in the mangers at intervals of 28 



feet and give the bottom a slope of 1 inch toward 



(Continued on page 254.) 



