112 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REfORT. 



side near the ground, go up inside the outer wall of stable and 

 open at ceiling of stable. Care should be taken that no direct 

 draft can strike the cattle. 



A single ventilating flue, D E, rises above the roof of the 

 main barn and is divided below the roof into two arms, A B D, 

 which terminate at near the level of the stable floor at A A, 

 These openings are provided with ordinary registers, with valves, 

 to be opened and closed when desired. Two other ventilators are 

 placed at B B, to be used when the stable is too warm, but are 

 provided with valves to be closed at other times. C is a direct 

 1 2-inch ventilator leading into the main shaft, and opening 

 from the ceiling, so as to admit a current of warm air at all times 

 to the main shaft to help force the draft. This ventilating shaft 

 is made of galvanized iron, the upper portion being 3 ft. in diam- 

 eter. The covering on the outside is simply for architectural 

 effect. The air enters the stable at various points as shown in 

 the plan at F G, and in the vertical section by arrows at F G. 



Sliding doors can take the place of registers and board 

 shafts the place of galvanized iron. Next to pure air, and for- 

 tunately equally cheap, comes sunlight in its effect on the health 

 of cows. The location of the barn with reference to the sun 

 has already been mentioned. An abundance of windows is the 

 only other condition for the plentiful admission of this great 

 life and health giving agent. Its value cannot be overestimated. 

 Its presence means a short life for injurious bacteria. These 

 thrive best and survive the longest with darkness and dampness. 

 Windows therefore should be of large size and in goodly num- 

 ber. Basement stables are usually objectionable because they 

 lack in height, ventilation and windows and often because of 

 dampness. If these conditions can be met they are not objec- 

 tionable in themselves. 



The comfort of the cows is the next consideration in the 

 planning of our stables. A reasonable degree of warmth is es- 

 sential to this but it is unnecessary to go to an extreme. Ob- 

 servation of the cows will be the best guide. If the hair is 

 rough, if they stand curled up and shivering obviously a change 

 is called for. No precise degree of temperature can be prescrib- 

 ed but a stable which in the coldest nights does not get below 

 40 will I think be found satisfactory. To attain this windows 

 and doors must be tight. Cold drafts are especially to be 

 avoided, being much more objectionable than a low general 

 temperature. The use of building paper is the one cheap pract- 

 ical method of securing warmth. It is, both for houses and 

 barns, one of the most valuable introductions of comparatively 

 recent years. A covering of good paper properly protected l>y 

 lumber, adds more to the warmth of a building than an extra 

 sheathing of boards. It also enables us to use a cheaper grade 



