A Dairy Farm Buildiny. 561 



battt^ns or purlins slioulH l)e 3x3 liaidwood bolted to tbe rafters. 

 Five are required for eacb side if nine feet iron is used. They are 

 16 feet long, ihe joists beinj; broken on each alternate rafter. 



The walls are covered with weatherboards, short 3x2 studs being 

 fixed between tlie main ones. 'J'he space between the lowest plate and 

 the rioor of the loft is arranged to meet all the necessary requiietnents 

 for ventilation. Tliis space on tlie side that faces the east in a well 

 sheltered situation niay be left open, as is tlie case on the side of the 

 building away from the observer in Fig. 4; oi" it niay be covered in 

 as seen on the side next the observer in Fitr. 4. Panels 8 feet lono- 

 aie liiniie<l at the bottom so that in hot wenthei- the whole ot botlv 

 sides may be left open. Ventilation in winter is provided by the 

 spaces between the battens in the upper j)art of the panel, thus 

 securing cross currents of air immediately under the floor of the loft. 



The flooring joists are placed two feet apart, the ends being carried 

 on a bearer bolted to the top of the central rows of posts. 

 For the floor of the loft the best material is grooved and tongued 

 softwood, liut in many localities hardwood will be use<i as it is much 

 cheaper. The main objection is tlie shrinkage. When the green 

 boards are first laid this may be met by stretching a roll of building 

 paper over the joists and nailing the flooring on top of it.* When, the 

 boards have become seasoned they may be taken up and the joints 

 closed up. A slioot is provided in the coiner at each side to allow 

 the feed stufl' to be sent down into the truck below. 



As will be seen from Fig. I tlie ground floor is paved on two 

 levels, tlie roadway down the middle being about 9 inches lower tlian 

 the floor on each side. The jiart of the floor on whicli the cows stand 

 runs back nearly level to the edge of the kerb where there is a single 

 square step the full depth. This arrangement is preferable to the 

 sloping sides of a gutter. In the latter case the animals slip about 

 an<i are afraid to stand at their ease because they know that the 

 foothold is insecure. When on a raised level ))lalform, however, 

 although their feet are close to the edge, they soon get to know that 

 there is no danger of slipping, and act accordingly. 'Die step up is 

 made high so as to allow the manure to drop clear of the animals. 

 The roadway along the midtlle of the building has a low crown 

 to its centre and the gutter is formed by this slight curve meeting the 

 kerb. As the cost of this floor is one of the main items in the total 

 outlay involved in tlie construction of the building, it is important to 

 use the lesoui-ces of diflerent localities to best advantage. Where blue- 

 stone, granite, or other hard rock is procurable it is best pitched 

 throughout and grouted in cement. V.'here pitcher.s are not available, 

 make a kerb of 9 x 3 red gum, and floor the platform and roadway 

 for a yard on each side of the kerb with cement concrete. Many 

 of the harder slates and sandstones found throughout central Victoria 

 are suitable for this purpose, and quartz gravel makes excellent 

 concrete. The lemainder of the floor may be wood paved. Finally 



' There are several brands of building paper, P & B, &c. , procurable in Melbourne, 



