1886 



GLEANIJ^GS IN BEE CULTURE. 



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We will commence with the horses, for 

 they are not only the largest producers of 

 manure, but, I believe, for general purposes 

 horse-manure is considered the best ma- 

 nure. The horse is usually the most im- 

 portant personage in the barn, or among 

 our domestic animals. In our diagram I 

 have shown places for four horses, although 

 we nse only two. as a general thing. When 

 work is crowding, or if one of the horses 

 should happen to be temporarily disabled, we 

 get another horse from a neighbor ; and then 

 it is very handy to have an extra stall for a 

 visitor's horse or horses. Of course, many 

 of the friends will not want so spacious out- 

 buildings as I have figured, but the princi- 

 ples can be carried out with the smallest 

 stable, pig-pen, orpoultry-liouse. 



What shill the horses stand on? was one 

 of the first questions I asked friend Terry. 

 He replied, that the best material .for the 

 stalDle-tioor that he knew of was made of 

 small stones and gravel, filled in with ce- 

 ment, but that he would lay inch boards in 

 the stall (over this stone floor) for the horses 

 to stand on. as the wood is drier and warm- 

 er than the stone floor. The gutter for ma- 

 nure l)ack of the horses is clean stone (or 

 cement), but sunk a little so it will take all 

 the moist and licpiid portions of the manure. 

 Right back of the cow-stable there is a slid- 

 ing-door that communicates with a sort of 

 box stall, where the manure is i)iled until it 

 can be drawn out. The manure-spreader 

 stands in the tool-house, ready to be backed 

 up to the manure heap at any time, or it 

 can stand in the place of the manure heap, 

 the manure being pitched from the stables 

 on to a wheell)arrow, and then run right up 

 to the spreader. This box stall, as we call 

 it. is also the general watering-place. Ours 

 is fed l)y the water-works of the town ; and 

 it is very convenient indeed to have running 

 water. Where there is a spring, it can often 

 he lu'ought into the barn in this way. If there 

 is none, have a well or cistern al)out where I 

 have marked. Water. If you have a couple 

 of bars across from the watering-tank to the 

 cow-sta])le, you can turn the horses and cat- 

 tle loose in this l)Ox stall, and let them drink 

 at their leisure while you are cleaning the 

 stables and fixing the bedding. Right back 

 of the horses and cattle there is a l)ay for 

 straw and bedding. Before cold weather 

 comes, this bay sliould be filled clear to the 

 upper floor. The l»ay for hay on tlie oppo- 

 site side of the bam sliould also be filled to 

 the upper floor. Then the stock have a wall 

 behind them of straw, and a wall in front 



of them of hay, a bank bridge on the north, 

 and the tool-house and manure-shed on the 

 south, while above them is the main floor on 

 which teams go in with hay, straw, oats, or 

 other produce. You see this makes a pret- 

 ty warm barn, even if built on level ground. 

 The bank bridge is walled up with stone, 

 about ten feet back from the barn. The 

 bridge itself is matched plank, put together 

 with paint, so it is water-tight. The sliding- 

 door under this bridge gives access to the 

 stable, so you see we have a sort of " storm- 

 door," as it were, to keep the wind from 

 blowing in when the stable-door is opened. 

 There is also a sliding-door opening from 

 the stables to the manure heap. The feed- 

 ing-alley is just wide enough to allow one to 

 pass and feed the animals conveniently.. 

 The oats are close to the feeding-alley, in a 

 bin that holds about 600 bushels. A little 

 dooi- at a convenient height ()i)ens into the 

 passageway, and you can dip up a measure 

 full of oats by reaching in this little door, so 

 long as there are any oats in the bin. The 

 accomi'anying diagram will show you how 

 the oi)ening is made : 



""Of 



iViKjon Floor. 



Opsning for 

 nUino meamtr€\ 



Oats. 



Stable Floor. 



A CONVENIENT OAT BIN FOR A BANK-BAHN. 



Another similar bin is made for bran, corn, 

 or whatever else you choose. You can have 

 a barrel of salt at the further end of the 

 passageway, near the bran-bin. The stairs 

 lead from the feeding-alley on to the upper 

 floor. We arc using the fanning-mill to-day 

 on the upper floor, and it is placed so that 

 the chaff and dust all flies over into the 

 straw and bedding mow. Jn fact, we throw 

 every thing into this heaj) of straw— rubbish 

 of all kinds, left after saving the seeds of 

 gaiden vegetables, husks, chaff, etc. Some 

 may object, that the seeds may, by this 

 means, get into the manure ; but with the 

 thorough cultivation we give our field crops 

 we do not feel very much afraid of plants 

 that are not wanted. They will have a 

 tough time of it to make a growth, even if 

 they try. The manure from the cow is 



