Buttermilk Paint

How is paint made with buttermilk for farm buildings?

One gallon buttermilk, 3 pounds of Portland cement, and sufficient coloring matter to give the desired shade.  Apply as soon as made, and stir a great deal while being applied.  It is said to dry in about 6 hours and to be a good preservative for fences, barns and other outbuildings.

Trespassing Live Stock.

Is there a fence law in this State?  In other words, do I have to fence against my neighbors’ stock, or does the law require him to care for his stock and keep it off my property?

The old “no-fence law” which was enacted during the troubles between wheat growers and stock rangers has been put out of commission by more recent legislation.  The trespassing live stock is liable for damage, but just how to proceed to protect yourself you should learn from a local lawyer who knows statutes and your county ordinances also.

Rat-Proof Granary.

How can I make a rat-proof granary for alfalfa meal and barley?

Omit all boarding of the sides below the floor level and place a heavy inverted pan, milk pan, between the top of each of the supporting posts and the floor beams.  Care should be taken that the diagonal bracing of the underpinning or posts does not allow a rat to secure a foot hold near enough the floor to permit of gnawing through.

Concrete Stable Floor.

Is a concrete floor good for a horse stable?

Concrete floors are satisfactorily used for horse stables, provided the floor is ribbed or otherwise roughened in a way to reduce the danger of slipping.  Some stablemen have stall floors made that way.  Some use a wooden grating over the concrete in places where the horses have to stand for any length of time.  Others soften the standing by free use of bedding.

Silo-Heating Not Dangerous.

Is there any danger of a barn burning from spontaneous combustion due to a silo being built in the barn?

There is no danger of the silo overheating and setting fire to a barn.  When the ensilage is curing, it often gets warm, but never anywhere near the point of combustion.

To Make Shingles Durable.

What is the best material with which to coat the shingles on my barn roof?

The best coating is a wood preservative, the principal ingredient of which is creosote.  There are several reliable brands of preservatives and stains that may be had at a cost of about half that of paint.  We must remark also the natural durability of redwood shingles in this climate if the roof has a good pitch.  We reshingled our house roof after 20 years of use and found the shingles so sound that we turned them and shingled the sides and roof of a shed with them where they promise to be good for another score of years.

Best Breed of Hogs.

What is the best breed of hogs for pen feeding, shutting them up in small pens from the time they are little pigs and feeding them mostly on skim milk and slops?