Buildings and Yards. 



471- 



4. The lesson 



Perhaps I have said enough to set the reader thinking or to challenge 

 his attention. The best discussion that can come from this lesson will 

 now be suggested by the farm buildings that you see as you come and 

 go. As examples, I have inserted many pictures; if you do not wish 

 to make remarks about the buildings in the neighborhood, you may be 

 willing to make them about tliese pictures. In succeeding bulletins in 

 this series, some of the practical con.tructional details of farm buildings 

 will be considered ; but it is always well first to approach the discussion 

 of a building from its mr.ss-eTect rather than from its incidents. All 

 these discussions will be made in a generous spirit for the betterment 

 of the improving" countr}- life in which we all arc interested. 



Fig. 292. — An attractive little building. Fruit-house of 

 the late Charles Downing. 



Such discussions are the more important because the professional 

 architects do not give attention to common farm buildings, since there 

 is little chance for remuneration. It is surprising that farm buildings 

 are not worse tlian they are, seeing that there has been no instruction. 

 Even the agricultural colleges have not given much attention to the 

 subject until very recently ; soon the leading institutions will have well- 

 manned departments of rural architecture. It seems to me that farmers 

 must look to these and other public institutions for nmch of their advice 

 on farm buildings. Farmers here and there are beginning to give atten- 

 tion to these subjects in a new way, and are doing much good as speakers 

 and writers. I wish that New York farmers might feel that the whole 

 subject of rural architecture is worth discussing in the new spirit of the 

 time. 



