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SOME FEATURES OF THE DAIRY FARM 



50 to 60 bricks will be required per cow. Of consequence too 

 is the fact that they are not made uniform in thickness, so that a 

 smooth floor top is difficult to make. 



Creosote wooden blocks, such as are now so much employed 

 in surfacing city streets, are now being much used for cow-stable 

 floors. They are cheap, very durable, sanitary and warm. Of 

 these blocks, about ninety will be needed per cow. 



An insulating layer in the concrete makes the floor dry and 

 warm. The time to install the insulating layer is when the 



Fig. 61. — A typical Vermont barn. Note team approach on three levels. (Photo by author.) 



floor is being constructed. After the rough grouting is poured 

 a layer of tar paper is nailed on it all over the cow beds. The 

 nail heads are left projecting half an inch so that when the 

 finish coat is poured the nails will help to hold it in place. Two 

 coats of coal-tar paint is sometimes used instead of the tar paper. 

 Either will prevent the capillary action of moisture through the 

 cement and the floor will be warm and dry. The top layer of 

 cement will retain the heat of animals much as soapstone does. 

 Facing cows inward makes feeding easier and the cleaning 

 is as easy if a litter carrier be provided. But the plan has the 

 distinct disadvantage in that the walls are certain in a very few 



