THE BUILDINGS OF THE FARM. 451 



venience may be submitted to ; but if scanty, the most eligible site ought 

 to be abandoned at once. 



It is desirable that the farm house should be situated so as to command 

 a view of the fields of the farm, and also be near the barns; and if any 

 sacrifice of position on the part of either is necessary, the house should 

 give way to the other. 



Having thus pointed out the best position for the buildings to occupy 

 on a farm, our next endeavour shall be to lay down the general principle 

 which should guide in the construction for every variety of husbandry. 



Straw and roots being the most bulky articles in the buildings, and in 

 great and daily use by all the stock, and having, though heavy and un- 

 idly, to be distributed in every apartment by manual labour, it should, 

 of necessity, be placed centrically, and at the shortest distance from the 

 stock. Bearing the relations of these particulars in mind, it is obvious 

 that they constitute the principle upon which the construction of farm 

 buildings should be based ; and as the centre is the nearest point to the 

 circumference it is also obvious that the original receptacle for the straw 

 and roots should occupy the central point of the steading. There can be 

 no exception to this rule for every variety of farming where straw and 

 roots are in use. Every apartment occupied by stock should thus encir- 

 cle the barn and cellars. Different classes and ages of stock require dif- 

 ferent quantities and kinds of food, so that those which require the most 

 ild be placed nearest the barn; and in all cases straw should be car- 

 ried short distances, and not at all from any other apartment than direct 

 from tin- straw-barn. 



We >h;ill now endeavour to illustrate this principle in its application to 



all classes of farm buildings. Cattle fattening, whether in boxes or 



requiring most food, should be placed nearest the .straw-barn and 



ar. Younger cattle, beiiuj lighter, require less food, and should be 



placed either at a greater distance from the straw-barn and cellar than 



tatt.-ninir cattle, or at the same distance on the other side of it. 



Horses and cows requiring the Irast straw, may be placed at the greatest 



from the straw. 



Tin- leading prineip],' involved in the above arrangement is coinprehen- 

 i simple, and is obviously applicable to every size and kin 



::ably correct as the principle is it [fl very seldom 

 ipted in practice; and we may safely ftSSOri ih.it. the greater the 

 be less commodious are the buildings as habitat i 



