238 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



of fastening is to a chain which runs upon an iron rod whose 

 ends are inserted in cast-iron sockets. Our third improvement, 

 is a movable lattice platform for voiding the urine. This plat- 

 form is situated behind the animal, and about five inches lower 

 than the adjustable platform. The object is to keep the creatures 

 perfectly dry and clean, and to afford a good, commodious chance 

 to pass behind them ; also, when the platform is turned up on 

 one edge, as it may be as represented in one of the figures of the 

 plan, it affords a commodious chance to convey into or out of 

 the vault such things as may be desired to absorb and retain the 

 manure. 



The stalls are most completely closed in from the weather, 

 and draughts of air, except when it is desired for ventilation ; 

 which may be accomplished by opening the various doors to the 

 apartments, such as may be desired, and by openings into the 

 carriage house, as hereinafter indicated. 



We will consider now, if you please, the ease and convenience 

 with which the animals may be tended. At the right hand of 

 our entrance, on the reception floor for hay, by the side of the 

 floor, is situated the top of the cribs for feeding the cows. The 

 top of the crib in front rises about one foot from this floor, and 

 the back of the crib may be on a level with the hay floor, which 

 is raised a little, as already stated, for the purpose of giving 

 height to a carriage room beneath. Into these cribs you can 

 look or deposit your feed at your ease and pleasure. 



The ox and horse stalls are situated in the same way, in 

 regard to the plane of this floor, the cribs being on the end of 

 the barn, with a passage-way for feeding the cribs from above. 

 At the farther end of the hay floor, close by its side and in the 

 same range as the cribs for the cows, is situated the stairs, which 

 we will descend from the west end, coming down easterly to the 

 floor below. At the foot of these stairs we stand in a passage, 

 running across the foot of stairs, leading from the tool and 

 tvagon room on your left to the stalls for oxen and horses 'to the 

 right. At the farther end of this passage are the horse and ox 

 stalls, on the opposite corner of the back end of the barn. At 

 the left, as we turn down this passage, is an opening into the 

 cow leanto. On the right is a room for roots, running under 

 the stairs, and under the west door of the barn above. Just by 

 the foot of the stairs is a trough for watering horses and oxen. 



