THE FARM AND FARM BUILDINGS. 491 



Shelter from the east is not so important, but if it can be con- 

 veniently procured, it has a certain advantage, if so arranged as 

 to allow the early morning sun to fall into the yard. A close 

 fence, six or seven feet high, would be better than a high build- 

 ing. When a shed is to be used, it is a good plan to build the 

 barn on the north side and the shed on the west side of the 

 yard. The barn-yard ought always to have sufficient slope for 

 surface drainage, but the wash should be collected in a pit or 

 deep pond hole at one side ; and into this, straw, leaves, and 

 muck may be thrown, to absorb the liquids reaching it. 



If cattle are to be fed in the yard, and are expected to make 

 manure of a large amount of corn-fodder and straw, it is well 

 to have nearly a level yard, with a slight depression in the cen- 

 tre, and to give them a dry footing by a profuse feeding of these 

 materials, of which they will consume the best parts, trampling 

 the refuse under foot. Such an accumulation, properly com- 

 posted during the summer, will make excellent manure for 

 autumn use. No farmer, however, who has once learned the 

 feeding value of both corn-fodder and straw, when cut and 

 mixed with other food, will continue to waste them under the 

 feet of his animals, unless he is entirely careless of his own 

 interests, or has a superabundance of fodder that he cannot sell 

 to advantage. By hook or by crook, he will contrive in some 

 way to make them available for food. Whatever plan is pursued, 

 the surface of the barn-yard should receive no water, save such 

 as falls upon it directly from the clouds. Surface gutters should 

 protect it against the flow of the water* from the other ground, 

 and the roofs should be supplied with eave-troughs, discharging 

 into cisterns, or outside of the yard. It will always pay to build 

 a rough shed over that part of the yard which is to contain the 

 pit or hollow for the manure and the yard drainage, especially 

 if the droppings of the cattle are daily removed from the rest 

 of the yard and added to a compost under the sheds. 



Farm Roads. I would not feel justified in recommending 

 that 'extra men and teams be employed to make substantial 

 farm roads, but there are at least a hundred half days in the 

 year when the regular force of the farm can be occupied with 

 such work, adding by every hour's work to the permanent future 

 efficiency of the teaming appliances. Anything which will 



