1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



245 



and improve the breed of horses in that section of 

 the West. H6.4xkes along with him about twenty 

 good farmers, and several mechanics. This is the 

 true mode of settling: and reclaiming the West. 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL MEET- 

 ING. 



[Reported for the Farmer by H. E. Rockwell.] 



The Tioeljlh regular meeting of the Legislative 

 Agricultural Society was held on Tuesday evening. 

 The number of gentlemen present was not so great 

 as usual, and those who appeared were rather tar- 

 dy, indicating that the period for agricultural meet- 

 ings has nearly passed for the present season. 



The President, in calling the meeting to order, 

 expressed his regret at the thinness of the attend- 

 ance, and introduced R. S. Fat, Esq., of Lynn, 

 as the chairman of the evening. In commencing 

 his remarks, Mr. Fay announced the subject for 

 discussion, which, in his opinion, was too compre- 

 hensive, embracing too many topics for considera- 

 tion in one evening. The subject as announced 

 was "Farm Economy, in relation to Farm Build- 

 ings; — Farm Tools, and housing them." 



He proposed to confine his remarks to two of 

 the points suggested by the general question ; first 

 — the most economical material for the construc- 

 tion of farm buildings; second, the best arrange- 

 ment or the best form for farm buildings in Massa- 

 chusetts. As theie were but three principal mate- 

 rials for building, namely, brick, stone and wood, 

 he would like to have gentlemen speak with refer- 

 ence to the comparative value and economy of 

 buildings of wood, as compared with either of the 

 other materials. Then, having settled the question 

 as to the best material, there was an important in- 

 quiry to be made, as to the form of arrangement 

 with reference to the economy of building and con- 

 venience for use as farm buildings. All agree that 

 warmth and shelter for cattle, in winter, are essen- 

 tial not only to the comfort of animals, but to true 

 economy. So also, in summer, it is a great saving 

 to have animals kept cool and quiet ; and he be- 

 lieved they would thrive better to be housed a part 

 of every day through the year. If the comfort of 

 animals were the only consideration, perhaps, all 

 would agree that stone or brick would be the best 

 material. But for purposes of a granary for stor- 

 ing hay and other fodder, it may be an important 

 question whether the dampness that gathers upon 

 stone walls, by communicating with the hay or 

 grain, may not more than counterbalance the ad- 

 vantage to the cattle. 



The question then arises, may not a part of the 

 barn be constructed of stone, so as to give the cat- 

 tle the advantage of warmth in winter, and a cool 

 shelter in summer, and the upper part of wood for 

 the purpose of storage of crops. Foreign writers. 



from whom we derive much of our information on 

 agricultural and farm buildings, speak of the great 

 importance of having plenty of barn room, sheds, 

 and a variety of out-buildings. But their climate, it 

 must be remembered, is quite different from ours. 

 Our climate is, perhaps, as trying as any for the 

 for the management of cattle or for storing produce 

 from the farm. In winter cattle must be housed 

 constantly ; whereas, in other countries the cattle 

 are out in the open air all the time. There the 

 wheat, rye, and oats are stacked. Instead of be- 

 ing put under cover, their root crops are fed on the 

 ground where they grow. All they want is sheds, 

 under which cattle can go in the daytime. 



They therefore need more space ; but we want 

 more economy of room ; we want a building which 

 will enable us, if possible, to have all the depart- 

 ments of the out-buildings under one roof. So that 

 we reverse the practice of England Ireland and Scot- 

 land in that respect. He was sorry to see some 

 farmers cojjying foreign models in that respect, and 

 extending their farm buildings over a large space. 

 The Germans build the basement to their barns of 

 stone, and have a cellar beneath that for roots, and 

 above they store their hay and grain, and thus they 

 secure all the desirable purposes of farm buildings 

 under one roof. To secure such a building it is 

 only necessary to place the barn upon a hill side, so 

 that it may be entered upon the different floors. 

 The difference in expense in keeping one such build- 

 ing in repair, compared with that of many spread 

 about over a great space, will be very great ; and 

 though the first cost may be more, it is true econ- 

 omy to build in that way. Experience is the best 

 guide, he said, and therefore, he desired gentlemen 

 to state what theirs had been on the branch of the 

 general subject to which he had opened the way. 



Mr. Hammond, of Grafton, was called up to speak 

 on the question as presented. He said he had stud- 

 ied considerably on the best method of building 

 barns and granaries ; but perhaps others would not 

 agree with him, because it is difficult to make far- 

 mers introduce new things. He would have his an- 

 imals in a building separate from the hay and other 

 fodder. The breath, and the gas from the manure, 

 should not be allowed to be communicated to the 

 hay or crops which are to be fed out. Another 

 thing much wanted in barns is better ventilation. 

 In most barns there is no opening above, nor any 

 chance for proper ventilation. Windows are placed 

 in stalls for light ; but for ventilation the windows 

 should be near the floor, and there should be pipes 

 from the roof to carry off the upper air. Many 

 barns are air tight, and the breath of animals and 

 the moisture from the stalls will produce frost in 

 the upper part of the building. To obviate this di- 

 ficulty, the cattle should be kept separate. The 

 gases that arise from the manure and the breath of 

 cattle will turn the hay brown, and it will not be 



