PLAN OF A BARN. 243 



of the vault to the back end of the platforms upon which the 

 oxen and horses stand, i. e., to the back end of the adjustable 

 platforms. The space between the ends of these platforms and 

 the line designating the partition line of the stalls is covered 

 with a lattice platform, whose top is five inches lower than the 

 top of the adjustable platform. Eacli creature is supplied with 

 an adjustable platform, so as to accommodate the length of the 

 creature, by drawing forward or sliding back the platform at 

 pleasure. The lattice platform is four or more feet wide, as the 

 case may require, and twelve feet long, two being therefore 

 required for the twenty-four feet allowed for oxen and horses, 

 the inside edge, or part next the animals, being made of narrow 

 planks, with open joints, so that the urine may fall immediately 

 into the vault. They are made to turn up on the inside edge, 

 the side nearest the animals, by means of a tackle. When they 

 are turned up, loam, peat, plaster or straw, or whatever you 

 wish to absorb and retain the qualities of the manure, may be 

 placed beneath them. In short, you may cast in and out from 

 under them as conveniently as from any other part of the vault. 

 The north side of the vault, next the cows' stalls, is constructed 

 in precisely the sam.e way. Therefore the vault, in fact, is ^ 

 twenty-eight or more feet square, instead of twenty-four, as it 

 seems to be, as you strike the partition lines on the plan, (as it 

 is extended four or more feet west and nortli) under the lattice 

 platforms. 



The bottom and sides should be cemented. As the pig pen 

 is situated by a portion of the east side of the vault, they can 

 conveniently run in it, protecting the manure from fire fang. 

 And as the calf pen constitutes a portion of the east side of the 

 vault, and covers the way to it, the drainage from that will fall 

 into it, and that without waste, as it has a lattice floor. As to 

 the height of the vault, it reaches to the second floor, so that it 

 is eleven f6et deep, or more. You can fill it four feet deep with 

 manure and still drive a team over it, providing your manure 

 lays solid enough. 



At the west end of the cow stalls there is a remaining portion 

 to dispose of. From a point in the north line of the cribs, nine 

 feet six inches from the west wall line, draw a line parallel with 

 the west wall to the horse stalls. From a point throe feet south 

 upon this line draw a line parallel with the north line of the 



