716 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the pasture lut, to stroll by the brook and become familiar with its wind- 

 lug way through the meadow and into the woodland beyond, or lie upon 

 its mossy banlv and "gaze into the summer sky, and watch the clouds 

 go sailing by, lilio ships upon the sea." 



In after years when far from the old home and Its associations, 



"Fond recollections will still l)ring to view, 



The orcliard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood. 

 And every loved spot which their infancy knew." 



Then make the farm home attractive, bright, and cheerful to the end 

 of life's lirief joiu'ney, stir up the live coals and keep them burning while 

 they will, and let memories of that good old home tiit through the brain 

 uutil the last embers go out. 



AN IDEAL FARM. 



BY FRANK DILLON, ROCHESTER. 



[Read before the Fulton County Farmers' Institute.] 



Much to my surprl.se I received notice that I have been placed on the 

 program by the Committee of this Institute to furnish a paper on the 

 subject "An Ideal Farm." Now just why I should have been selected 

 for this purpose I am unable to say, as my whole life has been spent,, 

 with the exception of the last few years, not as a farmer but as a me- 

 chanic. However, I will do the best I can. In 1897, land being very cheap, 

 I was enabled to purchase a farm and the lirst one I ever owned. It 

 having no buildings of any consequence I went to Avork to improve it, 

 and while if it were to do over again I would make some changes, yet I 

 nm very well satisfied. My first move was to erect a barn to save the 

 first crop. This I built 40x(!0 with 20-foot siding, and this furnishes plenty 

 mow room. Next a dwelling in keeping with the other buildings. Next 

 a summer kitchen and fruit house combined; next large, roomy poultry- 

 house, plastered and all of the south side, which is 40 feet in length, is 

 gla?s. Two rooms below, one for roosting, other feeding and laying in 

 winter. A part of tliis building is story and half, giving us a good room 

 above, which is very useful for keeping feed and as a store room for many 

 other articles. Next is two double corn cribs with a capacity of two 

 thousand bushels. Next comes sheep house, 22x30, using 12-foot siding, 

 which gives us plenty mow room to hold all the winter's forage. And 

 now comes the hog house, which was the most difl5cult matter to find a 

 plan to suit me. and after doing considerable corresponding with parties 

 over the State I finally adopted one of my own. This is a building 24x50 

 feet, with cement bottom over the whole building. This is arranged aft, 



