118 PRINCIPLES OF POULTRY-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION 
Excavate the soil inside of the house to a depth of at least eight 
inches below the top of the foundation wall, place a layer of crushed 
stone, cinders, or coarse gravel about eight inches thick over the 
bottom, tamping thoroughly and leaving it level. Over this place 
a rough coat of concrete about three inches thick, made by mixing 
one part of good cement with three parts of fine sharp sand and 
five parts of coarse gravel or cinders. Put one thickness of tarred 
building paper over the rough coat while fresh, lapping and cement- 
ing the seams, nailing it down every two feet with roofing nails, 
letting the heads stick out about a quarter of an inch to hold the 
finish coat. One inch of finish coat should be laid over the paper. 
This is composed of one part of cement to three parts of coarse sand. 
Material for Framing.—The frame should be built of material 
large enough to give rigidity to the building, and yet not so heavy 
as greatly to increase the cost. For a laying house twenty feet or 
less in width, 2 x 6 inch lumber doubled should be used for sills, 
firmly bolted to the foundation. Hemlock, yellow pine, chestnut, 
or other material of equal grade may be used. The lumber used 
depends upon the kind which is the cheapest in the vicinity. For 
studding use 2 x 4 inch pieces, and double these for corner posts. 
The plates are best constructed of 2 x 4 inch material doubled, 
spiking them together and breaking joints. One great advantage 
of double sills and plates is the possibility of strengthening weak 
places and of correcting any crooked or warped timbers that might 
be used. For rafters use 2 x 6 inch material for anything greater 
than ten-foot spans, 2 x 4 inch being sufficiently strong for any- 
thing under that length. For a purlin or girder in a wide house 
2 x 6 inch material is used. For all light partitions 2 x 3 inch 
material is heavy enough, and this may be laid flat. The rafters 
and studding should be placed not more than two feet apart,— 
better, sixteen inches. If the outside boards run up and down, the 
studding may be six feet apart, with 2 x 4 inch intermediates 
parallel with the sill (Fig. 84). 
Walls and Partitions.—A necessary feature in the construction 
of walls is to have them tight, to eliminate the danger of drafts. 
One of the best materials which can be used is tongue-and-groove 
boards, securely driven together. It is not well to use boards 
greater than eight inches in width, as they are apt to warp, and 
when they dry out leave open spaces. If siding boards are used, 
the lap or “ novelty ” siding makes tight walls, leaving a smooth 
inside wall. If shingles are used on the outside of the walls, a 
