THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



113 



DURABLE AND SANITARY FEEDING 

 TROUGHS OF CONCRETE. 



A simple, sanitary and economical use of con- 

 crete is shown in the accompanying picture of a 

 feeding trough for hogs. Nothing could be easier 

 than to make troughs of this character for swine or 

 poultry. Old lumber free from splits and knot-holes 

 may be used. To procure an everlasting receptacle 

 of this character simply means the nailing together 

 of two boards in the shape of an inverted V. These 

 are placed on a board platform or other even sur- 

 face and surrounded with a board frame or form, 

 which is then filled with concrete. The concrete is 

 struck off while fresh to insure an even bottom. No 

 special finish is required and very rude work will 

 answer the purpose. The dimensions of the trough 

 will, of course, depend upon the length and size of 

 the board forms. Small troughs for chickens or 

 large troughs for hogs may be made with equal 

 facility. 



Another simple method of making a 

 small trough is to substitute for boards 

 half of a drain tile or terra cotta pipe for 

 the inside form. Where the boards are 

 used it would be well to oil the surface 

 coming in contact with the concrete. 

 This makes the removal of the forms 

 easy. A mixture of 1 part Portland ce- 

 ment, 2 parts sand and 4 parts crushed 

 stone or gravel will make a concrete suit- 

 able for this purpose. 



To prevent hogs from crowding or 

 getting into the trough, crosspieces 

 should be used as shown. To provide for 

 bolting the crosspieces, holes should be bored in 

 the platform at required intervals and the bolts 

 set in with the thread end down. The bolts should 

 go into the platform to a depth that will insure suf- 

 ficient projection for the strap iron crosspieces and 

 the nut. The concrete should be a "sloppy wet" 

 mix and thoroughly puddled in the form. It should 

 be kept in the form several days and protected from 

 hot sun and wind. When sufficiently hard on the 

 exposed surface to resist indentation with the thumb 

 nail, the forms may be removed. The concrete 

 should then be sprinkled twice a day for the period 

 of a week. 



The strength of a trough of this 

 character will increase with age. It may 

 be easily cleaned and will resist the hard- 

 est usage. The longer it is exposed to 

 the weather the more durable it will be- 

 come. 



that the article sent was a draft of an address delivered by 

 me at Denver, in December, 1912 before the convening of 

 the Legislative Assemblies of the seventeenth arid-land 

 states, and that, in view of the advanced steps taken in many 

 of these states, in 1913, to cure, by legislative enactment, 

 many of the evils pointed out, the document was offered as 

 being of value, at this time, primarily to fix in the public 

 mind, by contrast, the great improvement in legislative con- 

 ditions. Read as it is, with total disregard of the changes 

 effected in 1913, the article is misleading, and unjust to 

 many of the western states. 



In the memorandum referred to, I also stated, very 

 clearly, that it was my purpose to submit, from time to 

 time, "Digests" of the more recent legislative enactments. 

 Reference to this was also omitted. I would not have 

 you, or your readers, placed in a state of doubt as to these 

 grave matters, nor do I relish being placed in the atti- 

 tude of being ignorant of the great things accomplished 

 in 1913. I trust you will accord this letter as much pub- 

 licity as was given the original article. 



Very sincerely yours, 



EDWARD BOHN. 



[Part of the copy mentioned by Mr. Bohn was mis- 

 laid, hence cause for his complaint. We are glad to pub- 



CORRESPONDENCE 



Mr. D. H. Anderson. Editor. 



IRRIGATION AGE, Chicago, 111. 

 MY DEAR SIR : 



In the January issue of the IRRIGATION AGE 

 you published certain comments offered by me, 

 under the caption "The Truth About the Irriga- 

 tion Situation." Inasmuch as an essential part 

 of the contribution was omitted from publication. 

 I will ask you, in keeping with your policy of 

 fairness towards comments of contributors, to 

 call the attention of your readers to the lapse 

 referred to in the February issue of the AGE. 



At the time I submitted this document to 

 you, I enclosed with it a memorandum stating 



lish his letter so that his position may be made clear. 

 The other articles mentioned will appear in future issues 

 of IRRIGATION AGE. EDITOR.] 



More than 100 men have found employment as 

 the result of the establishment of the sugar factory 

 at Fallon on the Truckee-Carson project. The beet 

 industry there for the first season is proving profit- 

 able, and has also routed out some worn-out or 

 poorly developed alfalfa fields. When those fields 

 are put back in alfalfa, they will be much bigger 

 and better producers, due to the acquired knowl- 

 edge and experience of the settlers. 



