];34 Farm- Buildings and Cottages. 



5. Construction of the offices. Nothing is more injudicious, 

 than to have farm-buildings huddled together, round so 

 small an area as from 60 to 70 feet. Where a farm con- 

 tains from 300 to 600 acres, the area of the offices should 

 not be less than from 100 to 150 feet square, formed into di- 

 visions, that the stock kept may be more equally fed. If 

 it be found expensive to surround the square with build- 

 ings, u simple wall may afford shelter, till it is found con- 

 venient to enlarge the farm-yard. In fact, none but a prac- 

 tical farmer, who has had a large crop, and a number of cattle 

 maintained during the winter, and who has seen the farm- 

 servants carelessly driving the cattle and carts in confined 

 court-yards, can fully appreciate the advantages of having 

 his offices with a large area. 



Though farm-offices should afford ample convenience to 

 the occupier for carrying on his business, yet all superfluous 

 buildings ought to be cautiously avoided. Those enormous 

 barns, usually attached to many English farms, are on that 

 account exceptionable; for grain in the straw, keeps infi- 

 nitely better in the open air, than in close barns; and when 

 it is put in stacks, it is less apt to be destroyed by vermin, 

 there is less risk of fire doing great damage, and the ex- 

 pense of repairing, as well as constructing great barns, is 

 saved ( a33 ). Thrashing-mills, when generally introduced, 

 will render the erecting, and the supporting such buildings 

 unnecessary. 



6. Out-buildings. In large farms, cattle-sheds, and other 

 buildings, are often necessary at a distance from the house. 

 The carting of green crops to the central set of offices, and 

 conveying back the manure to remote fields, are attended 

 with such inconvenience, and such ruinous expenses, that it 

 is highly expedient, to have cattle-sheds dispersed over every 

 part of an extensive occupation, and sometimes even extra 

 barns are requisite. 



7. Accommodation for farm-servants and labourers. The 

 habitations of labourers employed in husbandry, consist 

 either of cottages attached to farms, for the accommodation 

 of the servants employed in them, or the houses of day- 

 labourers. They constitute a description of buildings pe- 

 culiarly interesting, from their belonging to such valuable 

 classes of the community. Their windows should be of cast- 

 iron, of the lozenge shape, as the cottager can easily learn 

 lo put in himself panes of that form when any are broken, 

 and the expense will not probably exceed 2d. each. Where 

 pigs are kept, the sty should be neatly thatched, for the sake 



