FARM BUILDINGS. 615 



What is true of nations, is equally true of individuals, and the condition of the farm and 

 farm buildings will, as a general rule, be an index of the thrift, enterprise, and refinement of 

 the owner. Although there has been a great improvement in the construction of farm 

 buildings of all kinds during the last quarter of a century, not only in the number adapted 

 to the various purposes of farm use, but in the convenience and style of their construction, 

 still, there is in many sections a great deficiency in these respects, which occasions much incon 

 venience and loss. 



Buildings Necessary on the Farm, etc. The number of buildings required on 

 the farm will depend upon a variety of circumstances, such as the size of the farm, the pur 

 poses to which it is best adapted, the special departments of business to be conducted, the 

 productiveness of the land, etc. A large farm will require more and larger buildings than a 

 small one. Inasmuch as the family should havo the first consideration above that of the 

 domestic animals, of course the house should receive the first attention, and be considered the 

 most important of all the farm buildings. It should have the most care and money spent 

 upon it in rendering it healthful, pleasant, and attractive, while the barn should be secondary 

 in this respect, although we know of some farmers who seem to regard their horses as first in 

 importance, and wife and children as secondary, and who will be at great expense of money, 

 time, and labor for the welfare of their stock, providing fine, comfortable barns, in which 

 they seem to take much pride, while they are at the same time careless and indifferent with 

 respects to the wants of the family, and provide for them a home comparatively much inferior 

 in convenience, comfort, and general architectural construction to the barn. We are glad to 

 know that this class of farmers is in a small minority, and yet such are by far too numerous, 

 and wherever found will always be characterized by a lack of the essentials of true manliness 

 and intelligence that are characteristic of farmers generally. 



In many sections of the country it is necessary to provide shelter for the stock during a 

 portion of the year, hence a barn is essential for this purpose, as well as for the storage of 

 their food. Where large numbers and a variety of animals are kept, a stock -barn will be 

 necessary for this purpose, aside from that for the crops constituting their food. In those 

 parts of the country where cereals are cultivated to any extent, a granary will be essential 

 for the safe storage of such crops. A hog-house will be indispensable on a farm where swine 

 are kept, while the poultry-house, wagon-house, wood-house, or place of storage for fuel of 

 any kind, store-house, tool-house, and repair-shop will be found equally necessary. Some 

 times one building may be made to answer the purpose of two or three combined, on small 

 farms, such as the wagon -house, tool-house, wood -house, etc., being different departments of 

 the same building. 



Aside from those already mentioned, the ice-house will be found a great convenience on 

 every farm, and the source of supplying a luxury which, when once enjoyed for a season, will 

 be regarded as a necessity. The expense and labor attending it is slight, compared with the 

 benefits that may be received. On a dairy farm an ice-house is very necessary, as is also a 

 milk-house, in those sections where there are no creameries or cheese-factories in the vicinity. 

 These will not only prove a great convenience, but will contribute largely to the profits of 

 such farms by improving the quality of the dairy products. Where tobacco or other special 

 crops are exclusively cultivated, buildings adapted to the purpose will also be required. 



If to the above, the farmer is so circumstanced that he can add a small conservatory, not 

 as a necessity, but as a luxury, and a means of increasing the educating and refining influ 

 ences of the home, as well as adding to its attractions, the money and labor thus expended 

 would be found, wherever such a course is practicable, to be a profitable investment. 



In the construction of all farm buildings, convenience and good taste should have due 

 consideration. It costs but little more, at first, to construct a building that is convenient and 

 tasty, than one that is lacking in these respects, while convenient buildings will prove the 

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