CEMENT.
Portland cement is used because it is the only kind adapted to general construction. Other cements are manufactured but they possess individual characteristics that restrict their use. The word Portland is not a trade name, but signifies the kind and distinguishes it from the slag, natural, and other cements.
A number of brands of Portland cement are manufactured, most of which are made to meet the requirements of a fixed standard adopted by the United States Government and the American Society for Testing Materials. Cement always should be tested for use in important work, but this is impractical for the user of small amounts and it is generally safe practice to omit the test if a reliable brand of Portland cement of American manufacture is selected, especially if the dealer's or manufacturer's guaranty that it meets the standard is secured.
The following simple test for soundness is easily made and is on the side of caution. Make a ball, about 11/2 inches in diameter, if neat cement and water; place it under a wet cloth and keep it moist for 24 hours, then put the ball in a vessel of water; allow the water to come to the boiling point slowly and to boil for 3 hours. A good cement will not be affected, but an inferior one will check, crack, or go to pieces entirely.
Portland cement is shipped in paper bags, cloth sacks, and wooden barrels (sometimes in bulk). For the average user the cloth sack is the best container, as it is easier to handle; and while the manufacturers charge more for this kind of package, they allow a rebate for the return of the sacks in good condition. A sack of Portland cement weighs 94 pounds and a barrel contains the equivalent of four sacks.