Book IV. 



FARMERIES. 



4(,7 



tieular stock, in places where sucli are required. 3. A reservoir, or catchpool, situated 

 on the lower side of the buildings and yards, to receive their washings, and collect them 

 in a body for the purpose of irrigating the lands below them. 4. A corn-yard, conve- 

 nient to the barns ; and a hay-yard contiguous to the cow or fatting-sheds. 5. A gar- 

 den and fruit-ground near the house. 6. A spacious grass-yard or green, embracing 

 the whole or principal part of the conveniences ; as an occasional receptacle for stock of 

 every kind ; as a common pasture for sw ine, and a range for poultry ; as a security to 

 the fields from stock straying out of the inner yards ; and as an ante-field or lobby, out 

 of which the home-grounds and driftways may be conveniently entered. In respect to 

 the distribution or management of these different objects, he remarks, that in order to 

 make it with good effect, great caution, study, and patience are required, that the most 

 may be made of given circumstances. " An accurate delineation of the site which is 

 fixed on, requires," says he, " to be drawn out on a scale ; the plannist studying the 

 subject alternately upon the paper and on the ground to be laid out ; continuing to 

 sketch and correct his plan, until he has not a doubt left upon his mind ; and then to 

 mark out the whole upon the ground, in a conspicuous and permanent manner, before 

 the foundation of any particular building be attempted to be laid. It may," he thinks, 

 " be naturally conceived by a person who has not turned his attention to this subject, 

 that there must be some simple, obvious, and fixed plan to proceed upon. But seeing 

 the endless variety in the mere dwelling-places of men, it is not to be wondered at, if a 

 still greater variety of plans should take place where so many appurtenances are required, 

 and these on sites so infinitely various ; nor that men's opinions and practices should 

 differ so much on the subject, that on a given site, no two practical men, it is more than 

 probable, would make the same arrangement." There are, however, he says, " certain 

 principles which no artist ought to lose sight of in laying out " such buildings and con- 

 veniences. " The barns, the stables, and the granary, should be under the eye, — 

 should be readily seen from the dwelling-house ;" and " the prevailing idea, at present, 

 is, that the several buildings ought to form a regular figure, and enclose an area or 

 farm-yard, either as a fold for loose cattle, or, where the stalling of cattle is practised, 

 as a receptacle for dung, and the most prevailing figure is the square. But this form 

 is, he thinks, more defective than the oval or circle, the angles being too sharp, and the 

 corners too deep. Besides, the roadway, necessary to be carried round a farm-yard in 

 order to have a free and easy passage between the different buildings, is inconveniently 

 lengthened or made at greater expense. The view of the whole yard and buildings 

 Irom the house on one side of it, is likewise more confined." He had formerly sug- 

 gested the plan of a polygon, or many- 

 sided figure, or an irregular semi-octagon, 

 with the dwelling-house and stables on the 

 largest side, having ranges of cattle-stalls 

 opposite : but he has since formed one on 

 the complete octagon (Jig. 445.), the 

 dwelling-house (a) being on one side, and 

 the entrance gateway and granary oppo- 

 site, the remaining six sides being occu- 

 pied by stables and cattle-sheds (c, d), and 

 other outbuildings (e), a barn and thresh- 

 ing machine (/), with a broad-way (g) 

 dipping gently from the buildings, and 

 surrounding a wide shallow dung-basin (/;), 

 which occupy the rest of the area of the yard. 

 Externally is a basin (/) for the drainings of the yard ; and grass enclosures for calves, 

 poultry, and fruit-trees, and rick-yard. This is given as a hint to those engaged in 

 laying out and directing buildings of this sort, which they may adapt to the particular 

 nature of the site of such erections. 



2952. An example of the arrangement of a small farm-house and offices {fig. 446.) is 

 given by Beatson, which he considers as very convenient. At the north-west corner is 

 the barn (a), with a water threshing-mill ; and a straw-house {h), being a continuation 

 of the barn above, for holding a quantity of straw after it is threshed, or hay, that it may 

 be at hand to give to the cattle in the feeding-house below. The upper part of this 

 straw-house may consist of pillars to support the roof, with a space of about eight 

 feet between them, whereby a good deal of building will be saved. In the floor 

 should be hatches, at convenient distances, to put down the straw to the cattle below. 

 A court for the dunghill (c) has a door to it from the feeding-house, and a large 

 entry at the other end to admit carts to take away the dung : on the outside of 

 this should be a urine-pit, in the most convenient place, according to the form ni the 

 ground. A cow-house (d) has a door also to the dung-court ; and a calf-pen [e), with 

 a rail across to keep in the calves, even though the doors are all open, adjoins. '1 litre 



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