16 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



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The Farmers of the older parts of Pennsylvania build 

 very large barns in general; and to obviate the conse- 

 quences of the hay or grain heating, in a large mow, lour 

 poles or pieces of timber are set up in the middle, so as 

 to form within them a square space of about two feet, The 

 poles are braced by cross pieces at certain distances. 

 Through the appertufe thus made, the extra moisture in 

 the hay or grain has a chance to escape, so as to prevent 

 its being mowburnt. Theii* barns are usually built of stone, 

 and in the walls a large number of small holes are made 

 for the admission oh air. Their cattle are chiefly all 

 housed, and their dung is under cover when thrown out 

 of the stables, to prevent its being injured by the rains. 

 The roofs of the barns are usually painted, to preserve 

 them against the weather. 



The floor of -the barn should be kept tight, so that the 

 grain cannot fall through in threshing, and for this purpose 

 it should have a layer of thin boards under it. It is most 

 advisable, also, to have a place set apart in the barn for the 

 purpose of storing away the grain, after it is threshed. 

 The bins for the grain should be made of hard plank, to 

 prevent the rats and mice eating through them, and should 

 have lids which can be fastened down with padlocks. A row 

 of narrow bins, with different apartments for. various kinds 

 of grain, may be placed very conveniently along the side 

 of the floor where the horsestable is placed, so as to be 

 partly under the manger. 



BARNYARD The practice of having a barnyard on a 

 declivity is a bad one, as in this way very much manure is 

 washed away, without essentially benefiting the adjoining 

 grounds. The yard should be level, and lowest in the mid- 

 dle, in order to prevent the escape of much fertilizing 

 liquor, that will otherwise run off from the dung during 

 heavy rains. It should be cleared in the Spring of the 

 dung made during Winter; and if the Milch'-cows and 

 other cattle are to be kept in it at night, during Summer, 

 much manure may be made in it by carting in rubbish of 

 various kinds, together with suitable earths, to mix with the 

 dung of the cattle and absorb their stale. 



The yard should also have a high close fence round it, 

 as well for securing the cattle as for breaking off the 

 winds ; and, in order to make the most of the dung, the 

 cattle should be kept constantly in the yard during the 

 season of foddering, and have a well close* adjoining to 

 supply them with water. The suffer the soil of the barn- 

 yard, the less manure will be lost by the stale and wash 

 soaking into the earth; and for this reason some have taken 

 the trouble to cover the whole wiih a thick layer of cUy. 



