28 THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



access to the distant parts of a farm. Americans almost univer 

 sally will erect their buildings along the highway, even when such 

 a location would place them entirely on one side of their farm. 

 "When the boundaries of a farm are in the shape of a wedge, 

 which is not unfrequently the case, and the barn is located on the 

 small end, it makes a vast amount of unnecessary travel and 

 labor in hauling the produce of distant fields to the barn, and in 

 returning the manure to them. Streams of water and springs 

 often influence the young farmer in choosing the most desirable 

 and convenient location for buildings ; but streams of water can 

 be so easily turned from their natural course, and the water of 

 springs can be brought in pipe or tube at so small an expense, 

 and up hill, too, that these considerations should have but little 

 weight in selecting the location for the buildings of a farm. 

 When the farm is composed of only forty or fifty acres, and is 

 located in a square compass, if the buildings are all located on 

 one side of it the inconvenience is not so great as it is when the 

 buildings are all on one side of a large farm. Convenience would 

 dictate that the buildings should be located as near the middle of 

 the farm as is practicable. 



2. It is true that there are many advantages in having the 

 buildings of the farm located on the borders of the highway ; 

 but it is a very rare instance in which the disadvantages attend 

 ing the performance of the labors of the farm if the farm is a 

 large one would not have a preponderating influence if they 

 were fairly and impartially compared. There are some farmers 

 who have torn away from the very common custom of building 

 along the highway, and have located their buildings in the centre 

 of the farm, and the result is, the most distant fields are situated 

 nearer the barn,' and much less time is spent in going to and from 

 them. Should the centre of a farm be an undesirable location, 

 on account of low, wet ground, it would be far better to locate a 

 little at one side of the centre, than to be placed entirely at one 

 side of the farm. 



3. If I were to commence on a new farm of only fifty, or of 

 two hundred acres, on which there were no streams or springs 



