Talking Mod erntzation for the Farmstead

Bv C. F. Miller, Agriculturol Engineer, National Lumber Monu[octurers Association

If there was ever a time when "Barkis is willin"' to make sales, it is at this time and particularly in the building materials industries. Most lumber dealers are increasin[ their advertising, pointing to reasonable prices, willing la6or and the parti-cular and general benefits of expenditures at this time. These measures bring in business, but there is room for much more. It may be that more business may be obtained by going to the customer, either literally and in person, or figuratively through advertising and salesmen and other means. And when the dealer gets to the consumer, what will he say. He will say: "You seem to need a new porch, or a hog house, or some improvements to that old fence." He should say something like that.

For the clealer who has rural territory, here are some ideas that rnay suggest what to say:

Farm animals rvhich "put in" their appearance during the early spring months require special care and attention. Caring for these squirming, healthy, playful farm youngsters is always a most enjoyable task on a well equipped and properly planned farm. With the proper encouragemenC from the lumber dealer at the right time, many farmers are willing and able to make many of the necessary improvements.

Warm Buildings ImPortant

It is especially important to have warm, comfortable buildings for livestock during this season. Young animals and poultry must be well fed and cared for in a clean, dry place and be kept free from chills to make steady rapid gains. Repairing the buildings to make them warm and comfortable is not usually a very hard or expensive job. A building with cracks in the walls cau be greatly improved by applying tightly fitted, dressed and matched lumber direcily over waterproof building paper. The building paper stops all air from leaking through and the double thickness of lumber is excellent insulation against temperature changes.

Where the fioor of a building has become old and drafty, a new floor may be readily and easily laid over the old one. The addition of a tight wood floor, which may be easily cleaned, provides a warm surface ancl helps to make the building more comfortable in general. Roofs may be better insulated and made weather tight by applying wood shingles over old coverings. It is not necessary to remove the old material before applying the new roof. This makes it possible to do the work at odd times as the opportunity permits and to use the building as usual while the repair work is being done. It may be only necessary for the helpful lumber dealer to mention these facts to an interested farmer to develop a sale.

Save Steps and Save Time and Efiort

The first thing to consider in saving steps on the farm is the location of buildings. This mav not be a problem i{ the matter was properly taken into consideration when the buildings were erected. Too frequently the location of farm buildings is not given enough serious consideration at time of erection. It is an opportunity for the lumberman to figure out on a yearly basis the distance traveled to and frbm poorly located buildings, adding to it the extra steps required to transport feed and water. Such figures will lelp to make the o'uvner realize that it will pay to move at least a part of the l-.uildings before further unnecessary effort is expended. Some materials will be required to make these changes.

In the case of a brooder house, the farm poultryman or housewife may be trying to "get by" with an unhandily located old building u'hich is also poorly constructed for the purpose. If the person who cares for the growing chicks cannot persuade other members of the family to build a new brooder house and use the old structure for an implement shed, possibly the latter can be moved to a new location, r'emodeled and placed on permanent 4x6 inch skids for moving to a convenient location and to clean uncontaminated soil when desired.

Sanitation and Convenience

To have healthy chicks it is necessary to keep them away from the old lots and disease infested areas where poultry has been prodtrced for many years or keep the birds off the ground. The most common practice among successful farm poultrymen is to move the brooder house out on clean soil. On some farms this may not be a convenient practice, requiring instead the use of sanitary runways and sunporches to prcvent the birds from coming in contact with the soil for the first ten lveeks. These sunporches are made about equal in size to the regular brooder house. The materials required are wood framing and rvire for the wire bottomed runw-ay, or lumber and glass or wire frames for the sunporch. Both types are convenient and serve the purpose from the standpoint of sanitation, rvhen properly us,ed.

For hogs, the use of small portable houses will frequently solve the problem. To have feeders andf or granary near the hog houses will save many steps. The sanitation program for successful hog production offers an opportunity to sell materials to fix up a sled, stone boat or wagon for transporting vrater.

The relocating of an old fence or the making of a small amount of new fence and a nelv gate may save miles of walking in a year's time. Frequently short new fences can be made with the purchase of only a few posts and of wire that has been rolled up for months "over on the south forty." The sale of a ferv boards for gates and possibly a few corner posts is profitable business to the lumber dealer any time. The convenience of a well made and properly hung farm gate cannot be over-emphasized in developing sales of this kind.

Eliminate the Mud

A small amount of materials, with time for doing the work is usually all that is required to eliminate muddy barn lots. Wood plaJforms on both sides of watering and feeding troughs will eliminate many undesirable conditions. Portable wood feeding floors are always in dernand, and for passage between buildings board walks which may be stored when not needed are helpful farmstead equipment.

Avoid Dark, Uncomfortable Buildings

To keep any kind of livestock or poultry in a dark uncomfortable place is not desirable. A new window fitted with an approved glass substitute which allows the health giving rays oi the sun to pass through, will tnrn a dark corner into a bright sunny spot which is so vital to growth. The providing of light in the poultry house, even if only refected light from whitewashed sidewalls, helps to make cheerful quarters for the birds. Direct sunlight in the hog house is equally beneficial. Sunlight is the world's greatest disinfectant and a most wonderful aid to farm sanitation. The possibilities for selling nerv windows and trim should not be overlooked.

Good Equipment Essential

Properly constructed feeding equipment promotes sanitation, encourages better feeding methods and saves labor. These feeders need not be expensive, for all can be made of materials sold by the lumberman. For the little chick a satisfactory feeder can be made of three lath and for a growing chick a trough fitted on top with removable hail screen cover made of two 1x3 inch pieces for sides and ends and a 1x6 inch piece for the bottom is satisfactory. Later on poultry feeders should be raised up off the ground or floor as the chicks grow larger. For fuii sized birds the feeding equipment should all be 18 inches or more up ofi the floor. This eliminates dirt and trash fiom being scratched into the feed. Similar feeders and feeding troughs should be provided for the hogs, sheep, calves and other livestock.

For the small sheep raiser, it is often necessary to make temporary pens in the barn or other buildings. These may be made in the form of gates hinged together, two pair of which may be used to make a portable pen. The use of creeps to permit extra feeding of lambs and calves should be considered essential equipment soon as it is necessary to begin pushing growing animals for an early market.

The construction of one or more box stalls or maternity pens in the general barn, is another improvement which costs little but is considered indispensible during the young stock season. The development of sales for maternity pens and the other items suggested in this aricle is largely dependent upon the man who sells the material localll'.

Fire Hazards Close Forcst Areas

Due to extreme fire hazards in the national forests, orders have just been issued by Regional Forester Show to close certain areas in some of the national forests. In the Angeles national forest the San Gabriel Canyon is closed to overnight camping except under permit. The Ralston Divide Road on the Eldorado national forest is closed to vehicular travel. Closed to all uses except under permit are portions of the Cajon, Arrowhead, Mill Creek, and San Jacinto ranger districts and Banning Canyon on the San Bernardino national forest. The Blue Canyon area of the Sierra national forest and the Erickson Ridge area of the California national forest are similarly closed. Visitors are advised to inquire for details of the closures from local forest offi,cers before entering these national forests.

A. E. FICKLING RETURNS FROM NORTHWEST TRIP

A. E. Fickling, Mayor of Long Beach, Cal., and prominent Long Beach retaii lumber dealer, has returned from a three weeks' combined business and pleasure trip to the Northwest. He made the trip to San Francisco by boat, shipping his automobile to that city, from where he motored to the Northwest, touring through Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Mrs. Fickling accompanied him on the trip.

\THEN YOU SELL

Structurat

Booth'Kelly Douglas Fir, the Association grade and trade mark certify to your customers the quality of the stock you handle. Builders quit guessing about what they're buying, and buy where they know what they're getting.

General Sales Office: Eugene, Ore.

Mills: Wendling, Ore., Springfield, Ore.

CALIFORNIA REPRESENTATIVES

Northern California

Hill & Morton, Inc.

Denniaon St. \ilharf Oakland

Southcrn California

E. J. Stanton & Son 2050 E. 38tL St., Lor Angeler

Syntron Iiotorless Electnic Haiimers

t'Only the Piston moves"

Yz to 2-inch Drilling Capacity

Weights 1o to 2o lbs.

Priced at t1O0 and up.

Electrrc Drllb, All Slzcr

Portoblc Grtnderr and Bencb T54ler

Goncrete Surfeceu

Strend Fledble thalts and Equlpnent

Eleccrlc Hand Sawr

Sanderr. Pollchcrc . Butlcrc