FARM BUILDINGS. 307 



THE BARN 



Is the most important addition to the farm. Its size and 

 form and manner of construction must depend on the situa- 

 tion, the means of the owner, and the purposes for which it 

 is designed. It is sometimes essential to have more than 

 one on the premises, but in either case, they should be within 

 convenient distance of the house. They ought to be large 

 enough to hold all the fodder and animals on the farm. 

 Not a hoof about the premises, should be required to brave 

 our northern winters, unsheltered by a tight roof and a dry 

 bed. They will thrive so much faster and consume so much 

 less food when thus protected, that the owner will be ten- 

 fold remunerated for the expense necessary to accomplish 

 this object. Disease is thus often prevented, and if it oc- 

 curs, is more easily removed. The saving in fodder by pla- 

 cing it at once under cover when cured, is another great 

 item of consideration. Besides the expense of stacking and 

 fencing, the waste of the exposed hay in small stacks, is 

 frequently one fourth of the whole, and if carelessly done, it 

 will be much greater. There is the further expense of 

 again moving it to the barn, or foddering it in the field, 

 which greatly increases the waste. 



It is a convenient mode, to place a barn on a side hill in- 

 clining to the south-east, whenever the position of the 

 ground admits of it. There are several advantages con- 

 nected with this plan. Room is obtained by excavation and 

 underpinning, more cheaply than in the building. An 

 extensive range of stabling may be made below, which will 

 be warmer than that afforded by a wooden building, and the 

 mangers are easily supplied with the fodder stored above. 

 Cellar room can be made next to the bank, in which all the 

 roots required for the cattle can be safely stored, in front of 

 their mangers, and where they are easily deposited from 

 carts, through windows arranged on the upper side, or scut- 

 tles in the barn-floor above. More room is afforded for hay, 

 in consequence of placing some of the stables below, and in 

 thiil way a large part of the labor of pitching it upon ele- 

 vated scaffolds is avoided. The barn and sheds ought to 

 be well raised on good underpinnings, to prevent the rotting 

 of sills, and to allow the free escape of moisture, as low, damp 

 premises are injurious to the health of animals. 



Fig. 92 is a barn placed on a side hill, which is a type of 

 many we see throughout the northern States. The under- 



