ing floors (Figs. 44 and 45) should be laid with a uniform grade or slope in one direction, toward a gutter formed in the concrete at the low side, which in turn should be connected to a tile line leading to a manure pit so that all of the liquid droppings on the floor can be conserved, as these represent money.

SIZE OF SLABS

Walk and pavement slabs should not be greater than 6 feet in any one dimension and forms should be placed so that alternate slabs may be concreted first, then after these have hardened the forms should be removed and concrete for the remaining slabs placed. This will guarantee perfect joints of separation between adjacent slabs, which is quite necessary to prevent destruction of the pavement in case of unequal settlement or upheaval as a result of faulty foundation or to freezing.

MIXTURES FOR FLOORS, PAVEMENTS, ETC.

Barnyard pavements and feeding floors are now almost universally of one-course construction. This means a mixture of uniform richness throughout; a 1:2:3 mixture is preferable, although a 1:2:4 mixture is sometimes used. In this class of work also concrete should be of quaky consistency. If it is desired to have a smooth finish to walks, then it is common to use

a leaner mixture, such as 1:3:5 for the foundation and apply a 1 or 1-inch wearing course of a 1:2 sand-cement mortar. The top or wearing course of two-course construction should be placed immediately after the base (before the base has commenced to harden) so that there will be a perfect bond or union between the two courses.

FINISHING WALKS AND FLOORS

The consistency of the top course should be rather stiff so that when attempting to dump the mortar from a wheelbarrow it will have to be scraped out. If mixed to such stiffness the top can be troweled to the desired finish a few minutes after striking off. Then only one troweling will be necessary and the resulting surface will be more durable and wear-proof than if the top course is mixed wetter, thus making it necessary to trowel several times at intervals to secure the desired finish. Repeated trowelings break up the chemical action taking place between the cement and water during the process of hardening and considerably affect the wearing qualities of the surface.

PROTECTION OF WALKS, FLOORS AND

PAVEMENTS

Just as soon as concrete in feeding floor, walk or pavement construction has hardened sufficiently to permit throwing upon it a protective

layer of moist sand or earth this should be applied to protect the concrete so it may acquire strength slowly under favorable conditions. This covering should be kept wet by frequent sprinkling for a week or ten days. At the end of this time the walk, floor or pavement can be put to its intended

use.

CURB FOR FEEDING FLOORS

Feeding floors should be built with a curb all around them extending 18 or 20 inches below ground level and 3 or 4 inches above the floor level. Forms for curbs are shown in Fig. 47. This prevents the animals from pushing feed off the floor, thereby wasting it; while the extension of curb below ground level will keep them from rooting underneath the floor.

SANITATION SECURED

Feeding floors and barnyard pavements, next to concrete watering troughs, are the most effective of barnyard appointments toward securing sanitation. They are largely cleaned by sunlight and rain, but they must, of course, occasionally be washed off with broom and hose to keep them in sanitary condition. Barnyard pavements and feeding floors should never be finished with a steel trowel but with a wood float, as it is desirable to have a surface that will not be slip

pery. The wood-float surface will be even, but gritty enough in texture to make a safe foothold for the animals.

INDOOR FLOORS

Floors inside buildings are laid in the same manner as feeding floors or barnyard pavements, with the exception that slabs may be larger, even up to 10 feet square, as temperature changes under cover are not so great as those out of doors, therefore it is less likely that the slabs will crack from expansion.

THICKNESS OF SLABS

Walks, pavements and floors should not be less than 5 inches thick and preferably 6 inches thick if subjected to heavy usage such as would prevail in horse barns where subjected to the impact of heavy horses shod with steel shoes. For ordinary walks, feeding floors and barnyard pavements, 5 inches will be sufficient.

STEPS

Most woods in contact with soil, especially when lying upon rather than buried in it, rot rapidly. This is especially true of woods that are commonly used for porch or step construction. Probably no home owner has escaped the necessity of frequently replacing the steps at the front