Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/625

 Popular Science Monthly Keeping Rats Out of the reinforced

��Com- Crib

SPECIALISTS in rural engineering have worked out plans for a corn- crib that will aid in the drying of corn and protect it from the rats. There are usually two cribs in the complete structure, each 32 ft. long by 8 ft. wide, with a capacity of 1,000 bushels each.

The cribs are separated by a driveway 12 ft. wide and covered by a gable roof. The driveway may be of concrete or dirt. If the ground is well drained, a dirt driveway will answer. If the floor is of con- crete it will serve as a feeding floor for hogs. A wood floor would harbor rats.

A concrete foundation is put in for all the walls. This should extend from below frost line to 6 in. above ground for the outer wall and 8 in. for the wall. The space between the should be filled with well tamped cinders or gravel, and on this a concrete floor laid. The difference in height between the foundations will give a 2-in. pitch to the floor towards the outer edge and drain off water that may beat through the walls. The cinders or gravel under

��Oil the surface

��concrete with troweled to a finish.

If a concrete driveway is used, 6 in. of gravel should be tamped down in a 4-in. floor with float finish laid on top. The iron sockets, which can be readily obtained on the market, should be set

���Double corn-crib with concrete floor, wire mesh and iron strip on lower part to keep out rats

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��Floor plan of the double com-crib in which is incorporated a driveway made of concrete

��the floor prevent moisture rising. The crib floor should be constructed of 4-in.

��ill while the concrete floor is being laid. The studs should be 2 in. by 6 in. The siding on the outer walls consists of i-in. by 6-in. boards with upper and lower edges beveled at 45 degrees. They should be about 1^ in. apart. This permits entry of air, while the beveled edges lessen the danger of rain or snow beating in.

The siding facing the drive- way need not be beveled, as there is no necessity for protec- tion from rain at this point, and the siding should not be carried higher than 6}^ ft. This permits the crib to be fill- ed by throwing the corn over the boards. If the quantity is sufficient to fill the crib above this point, additional siding can be hung on 20-penny nails driven into the inner side of the studs. The boards have holes at proper intervals to fit over the spikes and are held in place by the pressure of the corn.

The rat-proofing is a feature

which the farmer cannot afford

to neglect. Wire netting of

^2-in. mesh is put on all sides

of the corn between studs and siding

and carried to a height of 30 in. above

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