Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1920 — WEATHERPROOF CRIB FOR CORN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WEATHERPROOF CRIB FOR CORN

Grain Now Too Valuable for Careless Housing. DESIGN SHOWS ITS FEATURES Modern Building Permit* Plenty of Ventilation, but Protect* the Crop From Rat* and Damage by Storm.

By WM. A. RADFORD.

Mr. William A Radford will answer questions and give advice FREE OF COST on ail subjects pertaining to the subject of building work on the farm, for the readers of this paper. On account of his wide experience as Editor, Author and Manufacturer, he is, without doubt, the highest authority on all these subjects. Address all inquiries to William A. Radford, No. 1827 Prairie avenue, Chicago, Hl., and only inclose two-cent stamp for reply. The time Is rapidly approaching when the huge 1919 corn crop will be harvested and housed. Time was when corn was put away in cribs that were nothing more than the name In-

licates. That was when 60-cent corn was a rarity. Now with the price three times that amount, corn is too valuable to be put into anything but a weather and rat-proof structure — one that will keep the grain in the oest of condition, with a minimum of loss. The modern farmer builds a modern house for his corn. While it stjll is called a crib, it jeally is a high-class building, well constructed and equipped so that the handling of the crop is done easily and with a minimum labor cost. The building is set on a concrete foundation and has a concrete floor, that is proof against the most determined of rats to get at the corn. The building is substantially erected, and its interior arranged so that the corn is elevated and conveyed into the cribs, from which It Is taken. Accompanying this article is a design for a corn crib that embodies the features that have been found best in structures for this purpose. It will

be noted that the building Is extreme ly unlike the old-fashioned corn crib. It is a substantially-built building, 28 by 40 feet in dimensions. Its exterior has graceful lines .and is an attractive' addition to the farm building group. The gambrel roof, with gabled tower for the elevator head, makes it a beauty. The building is of frame construction and is tight, with the exception of the sides and ends of the cribs, the location of which is shown by the open walls. Plenty of air is the one thing that new corn so that it will not mold or become mildewed. At the same time the roof, projection and method of putting on the flat siding prevents the rain from getting at the corn. The floor plan shows the layout of the Interior of the building. Through the center of the structdre is a concrete driveway, with sliding doors at each end, which permit the team and wagon to drive into the building, where the corn is unloaded, and to leave by the other end. . _ The elevator is located at one side of the center of the building. A, movable chute, extending out into the

driveway, is attached to the elevator. One end of the wagon body is raised and the corn by gravity drops into the chute, is taken to the conveyor, which carries it to the top of the crib and distributes it to the two bins, one on either side of the building. This elevator is operated either by a small, portable gas engine, an electric motor, which gets Its power from the light system, or by a h Arse-propelled skeep. Openings at the bottom of the cribs, or bins, allow the corn to be easily taken out. Such buildings as this are now looked upon as essential by the modern business farmer, who believes that valuable crops should be housed In the way that best keeps them from deteriorating. The loss that up to a short time ago was looked on as trivial will pay for such a building as this In a few years. The cost of a high corn crib built from this design can readily be determined by consulting the local contractor and material dealer. Costs of both materials and labor vary. In different localities, and no set price can be given for this building, but the ma ? terial dealer and contractor can’ give the prospective builder an accurate estimate. They also can give the farmer some excellent advice about the size building he will need, and regarding the best materials to use. HoweVer, the value of good farm buildings, whether they be barns, hog

houses, corn cribs, granaries, or the farm home Itself, cannot be too strongly accented. Life is too short for the farmer to have anything but the best home for himself and his family he can afford; crops and live stock are too valuable to be housed in anything but buildings that will keep them in the best condition possible. Good build- 4 ings are profit producers, and during the course of a few years will pay for themselves in the savings they make. The time never was more opportune for farmers to secure the high-class buildings they need. Livestock and grains, in fact, every product of the farm, are bringing record prices. The cost of production also has risen. But by having buildings that will enable the farmer to perform the labor in the quickest and least expensive way, and that will keep crops and animals In the best of condition, the business of farming will be the more profitable. Now that the end of the season when the farmer is a most busy man is approaching, this is a good time to plan

the necessary improvements. But the corn crib is going to be used soon now. By building such a crib as is shown here, the corn crop will show a bigger profit than ever before.