FARM LAYOUT 373 



In Figure 80 is shown how the fields might be laid out, if 

 the farm consisted of 80 acres (80 X 160 rods) on each side 

 of the road. This is a very much better arrangement than 

 either of the preceding. The average distance from the 

 barn to the fields is 26 rods, a saving of 84 rods on every 

 round trip to the fields, as compared with having the farm- 

 stead on the corner of the farm. From the barn to the 

 center of the fields averages 65 rods less than for Figure 78. 

 For many kinds of work, this represents the saving to be 

 made. The fields are also better shaped, except the one 

 that is nearly square. 



To fence the entire farm with this layout requires less 

 fence than Figure 78, but more than Figure 79. 



The time saved every year with this arrangement would 

 pay interest at 5 per cent on a difference in value of about 

 $1000 for the 160 acres over Figure 78. 



How the farm would look if the area on each side of the 

 road were a square instead of being 80 X 160 rods is shown 

 in Figure 81. This arrangement requires more fence than 

 Figure 80. The corners of the fields are nearer, but the 

 centers are farther away. There seems to be little choice 

 between having the farmstead in the center of a square and 

 having two squares, one on each side of the road, with the 

 farmstead in the middle. 



We may consider the figures to represent 640 acres of 

 land with the farmstead and all fields 4 times as large. If 

 one had 640 acres of land with buildings on one corner, and 

 the land laid out like Figure 78, the average distance to 

 the fields would be 136 rods and to the centers of the fields, 

 the distance would average 286 rods. These distances are 

 too great for economical work. But with 320 acres (half 

 sections) on each side of the road, the distances to fields 

 would average 52 rods, and to the centers of the fields 156 



