122 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



Dairy Barn.* Dairying has grown to be so important a part 

 of agricultural industry that much, thought and study is required 

 in planting a dairy barn. No two locations will require or permit 

 of me same treatment so far as exposure, size, form or building ma- 

 terial are considered, but the problems of ventilation, cubic air 

 space per cow, light, floors, ceiling, etc., are nearly alike in all 

 cases. 



The building in which the milk is handled should be entirely 

 separate from the one in which the cows are kept, as great cleanli- 

 ness is essential in the handling of milk and other dairy products, 

 nothing absorbing impurities more readily. The building should 

 be well ventilated and so constructed as not to be readily affected by 

 changes in temperature. The windows should be so arranged that 

 the sunshine may be freely admitted at least once a day. Provision 

 should be made on the ground floor for cooling the milk rapidly 

 and for the separator and churn, the cellar being used for refriger- 

 ation and storage. The floors and walls should be of tile or com- 

 posite material, so that a hose may be turned upon them and all 

 thoroughly cleaned. The cellar walls may be faced with enameled 

 brick. 



An ideal plan for a barn which has been designed for 24 cows, 

 allows ample room for calf pen and box stalls for bulls and cows, also 

 space for feed room, hay cnute, wash room and silo. The space al- 

 lowed for the various purposes will meet the usual requirements. 

 The arrangement of the space can be adapted to the needs of the 

 particular location. 



The width of this barn is 36 feet 4 inches outside. This allows 

 ample room for the stalls and passageways, and permits of the most 

 economical use of lumber in building. While the length of the 

 barn is 84 feet 9 inches, this depends on the number of cows to- 

 be handled. The side walls are built of stone or concrete up to the 

 window sills, the balance of the walls being frame. The end walls 

 are constructed of stone or concrete up to the ceiling. A partition 

 extends across the barn so that the cow stable can be entirely shut 

 off from the rest of the barn. 



Posts and Joists. The posts carrying the upper floors are 6 

 by 6 inches, the girders 10 by 12, and the joists 2 by 12. If yellow 

 pine is used, the joists should be spread 24 inches between centers 

 but if hemlock is used, the distance should be reduced to 16 inches. 



Windows. One of the weakest points in barn construction is 

 the small amount of window space usually allowed. The plan pro- 

 vides approximately 6 square feet for each cow. The windows are 

 sliding sash extending to the ceiling, making them nearly twice as 

 high as they are wide. This arrangement will admit much more 

 light than the same space if the windows were placed otherwise. 



Stalls. The plan shows a width of stall of 3 feet 6 inches, 

 which is as narrow as should be allowed. The depth is indicated as 

 4 feet 6 inches, but this may be varied according to the size of the 

 cows in the herd. The manure gutter is 14 inches wide and 6 inches 

 deep. 



* For illustration*, see pages 447, 483. 



