BUILDINGS 285 



rain proof. The opening is at one corner, and the pen should 

 be set with the opening towards the south. A door is not 

 necessary. Plenty of bedding should be supplied and the pen 

 should be banked up outside with fresh horse manure to a 

 depth of about two feet, in order to prevent draughts about 

 the floor. This method of housing sows is better than close 

 confinement in warm pens, and will be found to answer very 

 well when other means to provide shelter and exercise are not 

 available. 



The A-shaped Pen. The accompanying 'sketches (Figs. 66 

 and 67) show a convenient portable pen which may be used 

 for a sow and her litter, or as a shelter for two or three sows. 

 The description is taken from Bulletin 153 of the Wisconsin 

 Experiment Station. The pen is constructed by nailing inch 

 boards on six joists, each 2 by 4 inches, and 7 feet .8 inches 

 long, for the floor. Beneath the joists are nailed three stringers, 

 each 2 by 6 inches, and 8 feet long, which serve as runners 

 for moving the house. Next, a plat piece 2 by 8 inches, 

 and 9 feet 4 inches long, is spiked to the ends of the joists, 

 having the bottom of the 2" by 8" even with the bottom 

 of the joists, which will allow it to project 3 inches above the 

 floor. It will also extend out 7 inches at each end. This 

 2" by 8" forms a plate to which the rafters and roof boards 

 are nailed. The 7-inch extension's of the plate at the ends 

 support the cornice, and protect the lower corners of the roof, 

 which otherwise would be easily split off. The 2" by 8" planks, 

 besides strengthening the house, raise the rafters and the roof 

 boards nailed to them, at least three inches off the floor, and 

 thereby increase the floor space and capacity of the house. 



If the house is to be used in cold weather, a door will be 

 necessary, which may be hung on hinges or made to slide up 

 out of the way. The doorway is shown in the drawing, two 



