262 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



placed on the casing that the loAver half swings out and the upper in 

 when open; this is eminently satisfactory in warm weather to admit a 

 maximum amount of air, but is not so desirable in the winter, in that 

 cold air enters the building at both bottom and top of window, instead 

 of at top only. It also prevents covering the space occupied by the win- 

 dow with screens or cotton in summer. For winter use only it would 

 be more desirable to have the windows hinged at the botton to swing in 

 at the top. Windows either hinged or pivoted are subject to a greater 

 amount of breakage than those in ordinary use. The windows in the 

 granary at the north end of this barn are hinged at the top to swing in 

 and hook to the ceiling thus permitting the unloading of grain and meal 

 from the wagon directly to the bins. 



We have several outside doors leading into the alleys of one or two 

 barns with windows in the upper part or half. Stable doors containing 

 glass are a source of much annoyance and loss, for every time a strong 

 wind gives the door a hard slam some lights are sure to be broken; the 

 necessary light should be secured elsewhere. Nothing but standard 

 sized lights such as 8x10, 10x12, etc., should be used unless in very ex- 

 ceptional cases. To illustrate, we have found lights in one group of 

 barns of such odd sizes as 9%xl3 inches, 10%xlli/2 inches, which means 

 that in replacing special sized lights must be cut. In presenting this 

 illustration of the lighting of our grade beef barn we do not intend the 

 inference to be made that the sizes and placing of lights given is abso- 

 lutely necessary, for satisfactory results can also be secured by modify- 

 ing these according to the particular demand. 



CEMENT FLOORS. 



In the remodeling and refitting work cement floors have been con- 

 structed in all the stock barns, including horse barn and chicken houses, 

 the only exceptions being the pens and box stalls of the sheep and bull 

 barns. Despite the few objections urged against it, the use of concrete 

 for stable floors and stalls is continually increasing. Some of the criti- 

 cisms made against concrete floors are not well founded. Sometimes 

 it is claimed they are too slippery and as a result animals fall and re- 

 ceive serious injury. It is true that this frequently happens, but it is 

 due to improper construction ; a floor given a smooth finish with a trow^el 

 is positively dangerous; it should be left to harden with a rough finish, 

 such as that produced by the vigorous use of a steel broom. Alleys over 

 which animals pass are rendered additionally dangerous by giving them 

 more slope toward the gutters than is necessary. Strong claims have 

 been made to the effect that concrete does not make a good stall bottom, 

 producing rheumatism and other ills among dairy cows; this may be 

 true if too little bedding is used and the animal is forced to lie on the 

 concrete. Our experience with concrete floors dates back to 1888, and 

 in no case can we recall a single instance where trouble arose from the 

 use of these floors for cattle stalls when plenty of bedding was used. 

 It is true, however, that less bedding is needed for stalls with wood 

 floors. In many sections of the country it has become a common practice 

 to overlay concrete floored stalls with boards or planks. It is doubtful 



