Making  Concrete  Steps 
A  simple  method  of  making  concrete 
steps  is  shown  in  the  illustration. 
A  rise  of  eight  inches  and  a  tread  of  10 
inches  will  be  found  convenient.  For  this 
reason  the  height  of  each  box  should  be 
eight  inches,  since  every  box  will  form  a 
step.  All  of  the  boxes  should  be  of  the 
same  width,  hut  each  one  is  10  inches 
shorter  than  the  one  beneath  it,  thus 
forming  the  tread  of  the  step.  If  the 
steps  are  few  in  number  and  not  too  wide, 
inch  boards  will  be  stiff  enough  to  hold 
the  concrete  without  bulging,  but  if  there 
is  any  doubt  about  this  it  is  better  to  use 
two-inch  plank.  The  concrete  for  the 
steps  should  be  mixed  In  the  proportion 
of  one  hag  of  Portland  cement  to  2% 
cubic  feet  of  clean  coarse  sand  to  four 
cuhic  feet  of  crushed  rock  or  pebbles. 
The  earth  beneath  the  steps  should  be  ex¬ 
cavated  six  inches  below  the  surface,  the 
excavation  being  the  exact  size  of  the  bot¬ 
tom  of  the  steps.  Make  sure  that  the 
earth  is  level  and  compact  at  the  bottom 
Intensive 
anuiacturin 
■grace 
INTENSIVE  manufacturing,  like 
intensive  farming,  is  simply  effici¬ 
ent  specialization.  The  only  ob¬ 
ject  of  intensive  methods  is  to  secure 
by  the  intelligent  application  of 
specialized  knowledge,  a  larger,  better 
and  less  expensive  product. 
Maxwell  Motor  cars  are  products  of 
intensive  manufacturing.  In  the  first 
place,  we  make  only  one  chassis.  We 
do  not  build  cars  of  different  wheel¬ 
bases,  having  long  since  passed  the 
experimental  stage  of  our  develop¬ 
ment.  We  know  that  for  our  purpose 
a  wheelbase  of  103  inches  meets  all 
conditions  and  therefore  we  have 
standardized  that  length. 
In  the  second  place,  we  build  only 
one  motor — a  powerful,  four  cylinder, 
high  speed,  smooth  running  motor 
that  has  created  much  favorable  com¬ 
ment  among  Maxwell  owners.  We  do 
not  dabble  with  this,  that  and  some 
other  type  of  engine — nor  do  we  ask 
customers  to  risk  the  satisfactory 
operation  of  any  other  new  and 
untried  fads  or  innovation. 
Maxwell  cars  are  as  nearly  stand¬ 
ardized  as  it  is  possible  to  make  them. 
In  all  essentials  they  are  correct  be¬ 
cause  they  have  been  put  to  the  test, 
not  only  by  us  but  by  thousands  of 
owners  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
And  they  have  acquitted  themselves 
creditably. 
Of  course,  we  are  always  going 
forward  and  striving  to  produce  a 
motor  car  that  will  approach  mechan¬ 
ical  and  engineering  perfection.  We 
make  minor  changes  and  refinements 
from  time  to  time,  knowing  that  the 
march  of  progress  demands  it.  The 
“ultimate”  car  is  not  here  and,  like 
tomorrow,  never  will  be.  So  the  next 
* 
best  thing  is  to  build  a  car  that  will 
approach  this  condition  of  absolute 
excellence. 
With  a  demand  exceeding  five 
thousand  cars  per  month,  we  can  and 
do  effect  great  economies  in  all  manu¬ 
facturing  departments.  These  econo¬ 
mies,  as  you  know,  would  be  impossi¬ 
ble  with  a  smaller  production  or  a 
wide  range  of  types  and  sizes. 
Beauty  of  lines  and  finish;  sturdi¬ 
ness  combined  with  light  weight; 
economy  in  first  cost  and  upkeep — 
these  are  the  qualities  contributed  by 
Maxwell  intensive  manufacturing 
methods. 
V  ~  3r'Mrv 
Form  for  Concrete  Steps 
of  the  excavation.  Flare  the  largest,  box 
in  position  around  the  edge  of  the  exca¬ 
vation,  staking  it  in  place  at  two  or  three 
points  to  prevent  shifting.  Level  the  first, 
box  very  carefully  by  means  of  a  car¬ 
penter's  spirit  level.  The  concrete,  -mixed 
rather  dry,  should  be  deposited  in  the  box 
and  thoroughly  tamped  and  compacted 
until  moisture  rises  to  the  surface,  Work 
or  spade  the  concrete  thoroughly  along 
the  sides  of  the  forms  so  ns  to  produce  a 
smooth  surface.  At  the  front,  end  of  the 
box.  where  the  concrete  becomes  the  tread, 
the  surface  of  the  concrete  is  carefully 
leveled  off  and  smoothed  with  a  trowel  for 
a  distance  of  about  twelve  inches  from 
the  outer  edge.  Immediately  after  this  is 
done  the  second  and  smaller  box  is  placed 
on  top  of  the  first  one,  being  fastened 
thereto  by  a  few  nails  through  the  up¬ 
right  dents  shown.  The  nails  must  not 
be  so  long  as  to  project  through  the  forms 
and  into  the  concrete.  Fill  the  second  box 
with  concrete  immediately,  being  careful 
that  no  dirt  or  other  foreign  matter  falls 
or  collects  on  the  surface  of  the  first 
batch  of  concrete,  as  this  would  prevent 
a  good  bond  between  the  two  layers. 
Finish  this  step  or  slab  iu  exactly 
the  same  manner  as  described  for  the  first 
step.  The  last  or  third  step  is  con¬ 
structed  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as 
those  previously  described. 
The  braee  between  the  two  back  dents 
is  to  prevent,  the  boards  from  spread!  ug 
at  the  side  next  to  the  wall.  The  outer 
surface  of  the  top  step  is  carefully  leveled 
and  finished  by  troweling  to  a  smooth 
surface.  Excessive  troweling,  however, 
must  be  avoided.  Not  more  than  a  half 
hour  should  elapse  between  placing  the 
concrete  for  each  stop  so  that  the  con¬ 
crete  first  deposited  will  not  harden  and 
set  nil  before  the  next  form  is  filled. 
After  the  steps  are  about,  one  week  old, 
the  forms  may  be  removed  and  the  steps 
used.  After  the  forms  are  removed  any 
roughness  or  irregularities  may  be 
smoothed  down  and  the  surface  of  the  en¬ 
tire  steps  finally  finished  by  rubbing  with 
an  old  piece  of  emery  wheel  and  water  or 
carborundum  and  water. 
|  Brief  Specifications — Four  cylinder  motor;  cone  clutch;  unit  transmission  3  (speeds)  bolted  | 
|  to  engine,  %  floating  rear  axle;  ieft-side  steering,  center  control;  56"  tread,  103"  wheelbase;  j 
|  30x3I'2"  tires;  weight  1,960  pounds.  Equipment — Electric  starter ;  Electric  headlights  (with  I 
|  dimmer)  and  tail-light;  storage  battery;  electric  horn;  one-man  mohair  top  with  envelope  | 
|  and  quick-adjustable  storm  curtains;  clear  vision,  double-ventilating  windshield;  speedo-  1 
|  meter;  spare  tire  carrier;  demountable  rims;  pump,  jack,  wrenches  and  tools.  Service — 16  | 
|  complete  service  stations,  54  district  branches,  over  2,500  dealers  and  agents — so  arranged  | 
and  organized  that  service  can  be  secured  anywhere  within  12  hours.  Prices — 2-Passen-  | 
g  ger  Roadster,  $635;  5-Passengcr  Touring  Car,  $655,  F.O.B.  Detroit.  Three  other  body  styles.  | 
. . . . '!Mmiimiiiiiiimu;ii;tiniNiinm!ii!^ 
Burning  Cornstalks 
We  have  been,  and  are,  feeding  some  of 
our  cattle  cornstalks  (the  corn  thereon 
having  been  busked  and  cribbed).  This 
leaves  considerable  of  the  stalks.  It  has 
been  the  custom  eiL’  the  former  owner  of 
our  farm  to  burn  these  stalks  that  the 
cattle  would  not  eat.  I  feel  that  I  his  is 
a  waste,  to  some  extent,  and  that  there 
is  some  good  use  for  same.  Why  would 
it  not;  be  a  good  idea  to  cut  up  (into 
small  pieces)  these  remains  and  plow 
same  under  for  fertilizer?  1  should  like 
to  have  the  opinion  of  some  of  those  who 
have  been  placed  iu  the  same  position  iu 
this  matter.  P.  K. 
Pawling,  N.  Y. 
Do  not  under  any  circumstances  ever 
burn  cornstalks,  or  any  other  matter 
which  could  be  made  to  decay  in  the 
ground.  The  great  need  of  our  Eastern 
soils  is  organic  matter.  Many  of  them 
would  produce  good  crops  without  the  ad¬ 
dition  of  much  fertilizer  if  they  could 
only  bo  filled  wi.tli  humus,’  and  in  order  to 
give  them  this  opportunity  every  scrap 
of  plant  growth  that  could  possibly  be 
made  to  decay  should  be  worked  into  the 
ground.  It  is  a  great  mistake  ever  to 
burn  any  such  material.  The  stalks  will 
decay  quicker  if  you  can  chop  them  up 
into  smaller  pieces,  although  this  is  not 
absolutely  necessary.  In  many  cases  they 
are  thrown  into  tiio  furrow  in  plowing, 
so  that  the  plowman  will  turn  the  next 
furrow  on  to  them  as  ho  comes  around 
the  next  time;  but.  in  any  event  never 
burn  the  stalks,  but  put  them  i.nto  the 
soil  in  some  way. 
MOTOR  COMPANY,  DETROIT,  MICHIGAN 
Write  to  Department  No,  25  for  our  booklet  “22,000  Miles  Without  Stopping, 
