CONSTRUCTION OF A FARM-HOUSE AND OFFICES. 21 



his house, if a situation sufficiently elevated for that purpose 

 can be obtained. 



5. The house should be situated at a moderate distance 

 from the offices, say from twenty to forty yards. When in 

 the line of the square, the farmer and his family are dis- 

 tressed with the unwholesome vapours of the dunghill, 

 which are also extremely unfavourable to the keeping of 

 provisions. 



6. It is of great importance to have either a pavement, 

 or a good road, all around the farm-yard and dung-pit. 

 Farmers suffer more than is commonly imagined, by ha- 

 ving their carts and cattle struggling in farm-yards, through 

 piles of straw and dung, where this is neglected. 



7. It is highly expedient to raise the party-walls above 

 the roofs of the offices, to prevent the communication of 

 fire, more especially where the offices are thatched. 



8. It is also desirable to have two reservoirs for urine, 

 when cattle are stall-fed in any number. As soon as one is 

 full, it should remain in that state till it becomes putrid, 

 previous to its being taken away, and the other in the mean 

 time may be filling. This plan is strongly recommended 

 by Mr Allan of Craigcrook, near Edinburgh. It is likewise 

 proper, in order that the urine may be as strong as possi- 

 ble,* and to prevent an accumulation of wet, that the build- 

 ings should not admit water to go inwards from the roof, 

 at least in wet climates, but that where water is likely to 



* It has been remarked, that urine may be too strong, unless it is di- 

 luted ; and that if it is kept too stale, some of the most valuable parts of 

 it may evaporate. There is certainly no better mode of applying urine, 

 than to mix it, as soon as possible, with peat, or if that cannot be had, 

 with fine earth, or straw, tanners bark, or saw-dust. 



