FARM BUILDINGS. 657 



The planks forming the mangers next the cattle are movable, so that by taking them out 

 and dropping them into grooves for the purpose, the space between the mangers and the 

 manure-gutters may be increased or diminished according to the size of the cattle. The 

 planks forming the sides of the manger next the alley should be slanting or wider at the top, 

 to make it easier to put in the feed, as well as to prevent the cattle from scattering the food 

 over into the alley. The cattle are fastened with a chain about the neck, with the other end 

 attached to a vertical rod at the side of each stall. As the ring moves freely up and down, 

 ample room is given to the animals. In the rear are low windows. Over the passage at the 

 rear are two ventilators, 3 feet square, reaching the roof. The roots are conveyed through 

 side windows into the root-room. Here is a root-pulping machine, driven by a tread-power 

 above. 



The stalls vary in width from 3| to 4 feet. From the edge of the manure-trough to the 

 end of the stall next the alley is 7 feet for large cows, and 6 feet 7 inches for small ones, 

 with intermediate dimensions as required. The slanting planks dividing the stalls and alley 

 are movable, and drop into grooves at different distances, so that the stalls may be made long 

 or short at pleasure, with similar ones for mangers. The mangers are 2 feet wide inside. 

 The manure-gutters are 20 inches wide, and about 5 inches deep. The manure is wheeled 

 out with a wheelbarrow. The passage at the rear of the stalls is 3^ feet wide. The base 

 ment walls are 2 feet 9 inches thick at bottom, tapering upwards on the inside to 15 inches 

 at the top. 



On the floor above is a cutting machine, and stalks, straw, etc., are cut by horse-power, 

 and run down a spout, after cutting, into the feed -room. This cut feed is then placed in thin 

 alternating layers with the pulped turnips. A car or large wheelbarrow is loaded with feed 

 from the feed-room, and run out in front of the stalls. 



The granaries are made mouse-tight. The number of bushels held by each is marked 

 by figures oh the back side of the bin, at a black perpendicular mark. Over the granary is 

 storage. The barn is vertically boarded, with boards a foot wide and 3-inch battens. The 

 granaries or bins are lined with hard wood. The best way to exclude rats and mice is to 

 pack a space with small fragments of tin they will not work in it. 



Sheep Barn. The sheep barn at the State Agricultural College of Michigan which 

 is in many respects a good model for this kind of farm building, is described as follows: 

 This barn is 40 by 90 feet, and runs north and south. An alley 7 feet wide runs lengthwise 

 through the center. It has a good floor 2^ feet higher than the pens on each side. .At each 

 end of this alley is a sort of step-ladder to go to the hay-loft above. The joists over the 

 alleys are about 7 feet above it. At one corner of the chamber is a wool -room ; and at the 

 other a grain-bin. The breadth given to the alley makes it convenient for feeding, and no hay 

 gets on the sheep. In late spring this barn is found a convenient place for young calves. 



The floor over the pens and alley is all on the same level. Doors are placed in the sides 

 of the building, opening into the loft, through which to pitch hay. The gates open for the 

 admission of wagon and te.,m for manure, and other purposes. 



Each pen has a low door entering from the alley; and also a door running into the 

 adjoining pen. The sheep-rack forms the boundary of the pens. Water is supplied to each 

 pen from a pipe below ground, and which is pumped up by a wind-mill at some distance from 

 the barn. The water is kept at a uniform level by means of a valve arranged in the reser 

 voir. The back door passing into the yard from each pen is in two parts. The lower door 

 is set in a groove at one edge, and is held to the other with a button. When not in use it is 

 lifted out and set one side. The upper part of the door slides back on rollers above, and is 

 on the outside of the barn. The upper one, when closed, permits a sheep to walk under it; 

 or the lower one may be closed and the upper open when occupied by lambs. 



The pens are 12 by 16 feet, and the yards outside and adjoining, are each 12 by 25 feet. 



