8o8 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [ii Dec, 1911. 



height of 6 ft., the space above being latticed to allow plenty of ventila- 

 tion. The floor of the shed is trampled clay, and is 6 in. higher than 

 the surrounding ground level. The roof is iron with a bark lining to 

 reduce the heat in summer, whilst the doors are in two sections, one above 

 the other, of i-in. wood, strongly braced, and hung on heavy hinges with 

 bolts for fastenings. The bolts are supplemented with a cross-bar 

 and padlock. 



The calf shed is a continuation of the bull shed with the door opening 

 into the opposite yard, the two buildings making a portion of the yard. 

 The dimensions are : — 4 panels wide, 7 deep on the longest side (in- 

 cluding the building), 4 deep on the short side, with 5 panels forming the 

 wing, each panel being 9 ft. There is a gate into the paddock, in addi- 

 tion to that intO' the cow yard and a small gate adjoining 

 the bull shed to give the herdsman easy access. The 

 feeder and water trough are placed in different corners so 

 that the bull will not keep in the same spot for a lengthy 

 period. Shade trees on the northern side would be of 

 advantage. 



The timber used in the building under review consists 

 of stringybark, but redgum or box is even better. The 

 rails are all 9 ft. long, by 10 to 12 in. wide, and 4 to 6 

 in. thick. The posts are 9 ft. in length and 12 in. x 5 in. 

 on the top. Each post is mortised for three rails and a 

 cap, and is placed 3 ft. in the ground, the first mortise 

 being 12 in. from the ground level. Three of the mortise 

 holes are 7 in. x 4 in. ; whilst the fourth one (on the top 

 of the post) is 6 in. x 4 in. There is a space of i ft. 

 between the rails, and of 9 in. between the top rail and 

 the cap. 



Eight round posts will be required for corner and gate 



posts. These should be not less than 15 in. in diameter 



and mortised at similar distances to the other posts. Nine 



split posts, 48 rails, and 'sapling caps will be wanted. 



The caps, bound on with wire, should also cover the gates. 



The cost of the timber should be — posts, 25s. ; rails, 50s. ; caps, 20s. ; 



gates, (3), 40s.; labour. 90s. Total, ;^ii 5s. A satisfactory bull shed 



may be erected for ^10, whilst the cost of troughs, &c., would be 



£^\ I OS., making a grand total for the yard and shed of £^22 15s. 



It will pay a novice to get a good fencer to put up such a yard for 

 him, as mortising posts requires experience to keep the holes square and 

 true. For putting up the panels, the rails must be adzed truely, the 

 mortises well filled, and the whole kept true to line, otherwise the rails 

 will have a dip and the caps be uneven, spoiling the whole appearance. 

 A well fitted, straightly built fence will not only look better, but will 

 last longer than one poorly put up. 



Scale i in.M I FC 

 POST. 



