136 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



March 



years past has had the felicity of seeing the water 

 run down hill by its own gravity, and filling his 

 ample troughs to overflowing, where the cattle may 

 slake their thirst at mil. It also serves for many 

 other purposes, and all accomplished at a cost of 

 one hundred and fifty dollars. 



GROUND PLAN OF A CONVENIENT 

 BARN. 



This barn is 38 by 65, on the gi-ound ; 20 feet 

 posts, with small ventilator on the roof; two win- 

 dows in each gable end, of 12 lights each; 4 vdn- 

 dows in the stable, of 6 lights each ; a long window 

 over the great doors two Ughts high; all 9 by 12 

 glass. 



The driveway in the centre, 12 feet wide ; the 

 entrance door to stable in the centre; entrance to 

 manure shed at each end. 



Jl, bay for hay. B, driveway, or barn floor. 

 C, is a crib, or stancheon, placed 2 feet 4 inches 

 from the line of driveway. D, platform for cows, 

 4 feet 2 inches, with 2 inches pitch. E. trench be- 

 hind cows, 22 inches wide, and 5 inches deep. F, 

 walk back of cows, 3 feet 8 inches wide, with scut- 

 tles at suitable distances, with wrought hinges. G, 

 manure shed, 7 feet deep, built of wood, 10 feet 

 wide, with a 5 foot entrance in the centre to the 

 stable. 



The floor over the driveway should be framed so 

 as to be movable, either 7 feet, lOh, or 14 feet in 

 height, for convenience in storing coarse fodder. 



The tie stancheon should lean from the animal 

 at the top, 5 inches in 6 feet in height, and the space 

 between the stancheons at tlie bottom should be an 



inch and a half wider than at the top — say 6^ at 

 top and 8 inches at bottom. 



A di%ision wall nms under the crib the whole 

 length of the barn, to divide the manure cellar 

 from the main one under bay and driveway. 



The object of a manure shed, in addition to the 

 cellar under the cow stable, is to leave the cellar 

 room free in which to deposit muck and loam, keep 

 it from freezing, and have it convenient to mix with 

 the droppings in the manure shed ; also, to keep 

 the evaporations of the manure from ascending 

 to the barn to injure the hay and be breathed by 

 the cattle. Two or three scuttles should be made 

 in the crib throught which to drop muck. 



Two ventilating pipes should be placed on the 

 outside of the main building, 18 by 12 inches, com- 

 mencing on the roof of the manure shed, and ex- 

 tending nearly to the eaves of the barn, with cap on 

 top, and opening at three sides. 



If the cellar is made tight there should be small 

 windows in opposite sides of the cellar, made to 

 open at pleasure. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL 

 CLUB. 



It is well known that we have in this State the 

 old Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of 

 Agriculture, a State Board of Agriculture, and one 

 or more agricultural associations m each coimty in 

 the State, and a Legislative Agricultural Society, 

 holding its meetings one evening in each week, dur- 

 ing the session of the Legislature. It may not be so 

 well known, however, that there is but one in all 

 these associations, open to the public, where any 

 may go in and take a part in the discussions — and 

 these discussions are held in the evening. 



The State Board of Agriculture has ample rooms 

 at the State House, where meetings might be held 

 during some convenient hours of the day, and 

 where the people, not only of our own State, but of 

 all the surrounding States, could meet and engage 

 in conversation, discussions, or for the arrangement 

 of any business, having relation to agricultural pro- 

 gress. 



We suggest, therefore, the propriety of forming 

 a Massachusetts Jlgricultural Club, and that the 

 State Board of Agriculture be requested to allow it 

 the use of one of its rooms at the State House, 

 where a meeting may be holden, at 12 o'clock, noon, 

 on one day of each week. The Club, of course, to 

 be regularly organized. Such an arrangement 

 would accommodate himdreds who find it entirely 

 inconvenient to attend the evening meetings at the 

 State House, and it would afford opportunity for 

 the farmers, gardeners, drovers, and all others to go 

 in and pass an hour or more without much mter- 

 ruption to their business, and without being away 

 from home over night. Who will take up the mat- 

 ter and help it along ? 



