FARM BUILDINGS. 247 



space ill front of the cattle is divided by plank partitions to 

 keep the heads of the cattle separate ; the floor of the space is 

 raised three inches from the barn floor ; and in front of the 

 spaces is a plank eight inches wide, hung at the bottom so as 

 to fall oir an inch when let down, in order to avoid clogging, 

 and shutting in between the posts, so as to prevent the food of 

 the cattle from being scattered over the floor. A wooden but- 

 ton on the posts holds each end of this plank in place. This 

 furnishes an easy mode of cleaning the feed boxes. The 

 annexed drawing, by Mr. Emmerton, gives a correct view of 

 the arrangement, the most convenient the committee could 

 devise. , 



The working plans of the frame, &c., have been omitted as 

 occupying too much room. 



The contract for building was made on the 6th of March, 

 1862, with Hon. John 11. Potter, of Topsfield, under the 

 accompanying specifications and agreement : — 



SPECIFICATIONS FOR A BARX ON THE TREADWELL FARM IN TOPS- 

 FIELD, FOR THE ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Size of Barn. — Sixty feet in length by forty feet in width ; with 

 seventeen feet post. 



Roof. — Ten inches over one-third pitch. 



Projection. — Coving to project at eaves and ends eighteen inches, as 

 per plan annexed. 



Framing. — The timber and joists of the frame to be as per memoran- 

 dum annexed, including quality and size ; to be framed in five bays of 

 twelve feet each ; the floor joists in the lower floor to be framed as per 

 plan ; the studding to be framed in not more than twenty inches from 

 centre ; the small rafters to be framed in not more than twenty-two inches 

 from centre ; the frame to be pinned with white oak pins not less than one 

 inch in size ; and the scaffold girths to have two pins to each tenant, and 

 to be joined into the posts at the lower corner three-quarters of an inch ; 

 the scaffold joists to be framed in not more than twenty inches from the 

 centre ; the scaffold enter-ties to be fastened with iron joint-bolts to the 

 inner and outer posts ; extra posts to be framed in at each end, for the 

 sliding way of the doors, said posts to be secured at the top by suitable iron 

 bolts and boxes made above the scaffold for the doors to slide in ; the 

 large rafters to be fastened with foot-bolts of suitable size, with nuts to 

 the same. 



Covering. — Tlie whole exterior of the building to be covered with good 

 merchantable hemlock boards, well nailed with tenpenny Tremont nails. 



