THE GENESEE FARMER. 



PLAN OF A BARN WITH MANURE-CELLAR. 



BARN WITH MANURE - CELLAR. 



Messrs. Editors : — A few days ago I was on ousi- I 

 ness at the Post Office, when the Genesee Farmer 

 for January was handed to me, which I perused with 

 much inquisitiveness. In the course of my perusal 

 I saw a communication headed " Farmers, save the 

 wash of the barn-yard,'" a subject in which I feel 

 myself much interested. The past season I have 

 built a new barn, with a view to prevent the leeching- 

 of manure, which among other improvements con- 

 tains a manure-cellar and a cistern to receive the 

 drainage of tlie manure heap. For a full description 

 and cut, see the American Farmer, Vol. 1, No. 4. 

 Although it would be an expensive plan if every 

 farmer should build a new barn, yet, had I a Swiss 

 or bank barn, I would tear out the stabling below 

 and convert that place into a manure, and fit up the 

 stabling in one of the mows ; for no one who has 

 not the experience, can form an idea of the quality 

 of the manure made in a manure-cellar, by mixing 

 daily the droppings of horses, cattle, and swine, and 

 spreading it evenly on the manure heap. Edward 

 KoHLER. — JVorth Whitehall, Pa., Jan'y, 1851. 



The following is a description of Mr. Kohler's 

 barn, with drawings, k-c, translated from the 

 "American Farmer," an excellent agricultural mag- 

 azine in German, published at Harrisburgh, Pa. : 



"Mr. I. M. Beck: — Enclosed I send you, as 

 desired, a draft and description of my new barn. 

 Fig. 1 is a view from the south-east, (vide engra- 

 ving.) The barn stands at the foot of a western hill, 

 running south. The main building is 50 feet long, 

 38 feet wide, and 18 feet high ; and there is a build- 

 ing 18 feet square attached to the northeast corner, 

 on the north side, giving to the east side of the barn 

 a length of 56 feet. The 

 whole is "framed of strong 

 oak timber, weather-board- 

 ed and covered with slate ; 

 upon the western end of it 

 there is a lightning-rod. 



" Fig. 2 represents the 

 lower or basement story. 

 A, manure-cellar. B, cel- 

 lar for vegetables. C, a 

 cistern for collecting the 

 liquid manure. Tiie floor 

 of this cellar is so laid that 

 from all sides the liquid 

 matter runs toward the cistern. D, door leading to 



the cellar for vegetables. E, E, fcc, are stone pillars 

 upon which the frame-work of the building rests. 'F 

 is now used as a waggon-shed, kc. G, stairs lead- 

 ing up to the threshing-floor, directly opposite a door 

 leading into the " fodder-gang" in tliat part in which 

 the cattle are fed. The manure-cellar afiords to cat- 

 tle an agreeable protection against cold, rain, and 

 storms, the open side of it being south and facing 

 the barn-yard. 



" Fig. 3 represents the floor of the barn. A, A, 

 entry and " fodder 

 -gang," [foddering 

 passage,] com- 

 mencing at the east 

 end of the barn, 

 running toward the 

 threshing floor, 

 thence along the 

 same and through 

 the attached build- 

 ing to the north 

 side of it, where a 

 window, not mark- 

 ed in the draft, 



BARN FLOOR. 



Fi-r. 



BASKMENT STORY. 



-D Dl- 



Fig. 3. 



throws light into this passage. B, horse-stables. 

 C, cattle-stables. These stables are nine feet high, 

 and can be raised by means of ventilators, shown in 

 fig. 1. The animals stand upon a platform six inches 

 high, by means of which a gutter or canal is formed, 

 receiving all their droppings. D, D, &c., doors. 

 E, threshing-floor, 12 feet high. F, F, F, F, are 

 trap-doors through which the manure is thrown into 

 the cellar. G, trap-door through which straw, 

 cliaft^ &ic., may be throv.'n upon the manure. H, 

 cutting-room. I, grainery. J, grain-mow. K, 

 barn-door. 



Culture of Potatoes. — Messrs. Editors : — I 

 have found by experience that the best way to raise 

 a large crop of sound potatoes, is to plant the pota- 

 toes, and as soon as the first ones begin to show the 

 tops above ground, cover them and the whole ground 

 with manure ; and when they are fairly above the 

 ground, plaster them freely. The manure destroys 

 all the weeds and grass, and when you hoe them the 

 labor is light, and the tops soon cover the ground. 

 The manure being on the surface, keeps the earth 

 moist and loose ; the potatoes grow large and of the 

 first quality, and are not likely to rot. E. W. Rob- 

 lysor^.—Farrel Place, JY. Y., 1851. 



