254 The Farmstead 



carrying on work in the building, and beauty, 

 all indicate the wisdom of adopting the concen- 

 trated method in the construction of farm 

 barns. 



Efforts have been made to economize in barn 

 construction by adopting the octagon form. This 

 form secures a greater enclosed area for a given 

 surface covering than the square or rectangular 

 form. But all of the angles in the frame are 

 more expensive to make than are right angles. 

 It requires more labor and time to saw off a tim- 

 ber at an angle of 35 degrees than at right 

 angles. True, this form lends itself to a roof 

 structure free from obstructing timbers, but, on 

 the other hand, it does not give opportunity for 

 the placing of convenient tracks for elevating 

 the provender. So far the pros and cons may 

 be said to balance. It is only when the attempt 

 is made to divide the octagon structure into 

 stables and rooms, compartments and mows, 

 that its inconvenient shape is fully realized. 

 Everything is out of square. The divisions form 

 obtuse and acute angles, or arcs of a circle, 

 almost without number. All this implies extra 

 expense in the internal construction and usually 

 a great waste of space. The illustrations of 

 these barns have a certain charm difficult 

 to resist, but some of the most intelligent 

 farmers who have made a study of the octagon 



