94 Covered Cattle-yards. 



Reverting to the plan for covered yards before us (p. 97), it 

 must be understood that the writer claims no merit for the concep- 

 tion of the design, that being most justly due to another. Having 

 been strongly impressed with the great advantages attendant on 

 the use of covered yards, he has for some years advocated their 

 extension ; but neither in his own designs nor in those of others 

 had he seen the essentials perfectly attained until the summer of 

 1863, when business led him to the home-farm of Mr. H. S. 

 Thompson, at Kirby Hall, Yorkshire. Previous to this he had 

 inspected some yards of a very costly description, but with 

 imperfect ventilation, and others where the ventilation was suffi- 

 cient, but the accompaniment of draughts proved that it was 

 obtained on a wrong principle. Among the latter may be 

 classed a design of his own, constructed in Berks, in which the 

 end to the south was left open ; this with plenty of height secured 

 a pure atmosphere, and all went well in calm weather, but a 

 wind from the south, south-east, or south-west, created a great 

 and most unpleasant draught, which was very prejudicial to the 

 comfort and health of the stock. 



The great merit of Mr. Thompson's covered yard (which was 

 designed by himself) consists in its simplicity, which enables 

 it, at a minimum cost, to afford shelter and warmth, with perfect 

 ventilation and freedom from draughts — combining, in short, all 

 the advantages which the most complicated structure can, and 

 which so few of them do, practically afford. 



This to the writer was so apparent that, when a homestead was 

 to be reconstructed on this estate, it was decided, with the sanction 

 of the proprietors, to adopt in principle Mr. Thompson's plan. 

 That yard, the plans of which we give, has now been in use 

 upwards of fifteen months, fulfilling our most sanguine anticipa- 

 tions, so that with the most perfect confidence we can recommend 

 the mode and principle of its construction to the attention of all 

 interested in this subject. 



The leading feature in the plan is that the ventilation is ob- 

 tained entirely from the roof. At 9 feet above the level of the 

 paved causeway, and between the outer and middle roofs, there 

 is an open space of about 6 inches, running all round the 

 yard. This ensures an ample supply of fresh air, but in prac- 

 tice does not produce any perceptible draught. At 8 feet 

 higher, or about 17 feet from the causeway, between the highest 

 central roof and the two middle roofs, we have another venti- 

 lating space of 15 inches continued round the yard, through 

 which there is a continuous draught, but so much above the 

 level of the cattle as not to be in the least felt ; here it acts only 

 so as to draw off (as it does most effectually) the tainted air 

 from the yard. The supply at the 9-feet level maintains the 



