THE BARN AND BARN- YARD. 1193 



XXII. 



THE BARN AND BARN-YARD. 



IN a large area of our country, due regard for the comfort of 

 our cattle, and for the condition of the farm, requires that 

 for nearly half the year our stock should be kept in the 

 the barn or barn-yard. As our system of farming improves we 

 must abandon the wasteful and slovenly method of allowing the 

 cattle to roam over the farm during the storms and mud of 

 winter, getting only a starvation diet, while wasting their ma- 

 nure and injuring the land by tramping. Our stock must be 

 sheltered that we may save both food and manure, and the 

 farmer should plan to produce the largest bulk and best quality 

 of manure possible, and will find that under a wise and provi- 

 dent system of cattle feeding and manure saving his winter's 

 work can be made profitable and pleasant. 



In all that pertains to the barn and barn-yard, there should 

 be careful thought and planning that every thing be arranged 

 with a view to economy of time and labor, and so as to insure 

 comfort to the animals and a saving of manure. A small, cheap 

 barn may be so conveniently arranged, and so supplemented by 

 sheds, may be so convenient of access, and the drainage of the 

 barn-yard so well provided for as to give better satisfaction to 

 the owner and more comfort to the stock than one costing twice 

 as much money where these details have not been made a mat- 

 ter of careful thought and study. There are many old barns 

 which may be greatly improved, and often at a small expense, 

 by the addition of sheds, or changing the interior arrangements. 



The farmer intending to build a barn should never be hasty 

 in deciding on a plan. He should take into consideration all 

 that is connected with the work to be done, the handling of 



