670 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK VIIL 



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF A 

 FARM-STEADING. 



Feeding Yards. Having discussed the principles of arrangement of 

 the farmstead as a whole, we proceed to notice the various parts of 

 which it is made up. As regards the preparation of the bottom of 

 the feeding-yards, the following observations will be useful. 



A frequent mistake is that of making the yards in hollows, whereby 

 drainage from them is prevented, whilst surface-water can run into 

 them. The practice arose from the desire to make the yards snug, 

 and sheltered from winds, but the winds are less likely than wet lair 

 to do injury to the stock. Where chalk can be obtained, the surface or 

 bottom of the yard should be bedded or coated with it, or with some 

 other material impenetrable to water, in order that the nitration of 

 urine or moisture may be effectually prevented, and the manure care- 

 fully preserved ; unburned clay, though impervious to wet, should on 

 no account be used, as it treads up, gets mixed with the manure, and 

 is soon carted out, having made a poor bottom at its best. If nothing 

 else is convenient, burned clay is not bad if it is well rammed down. 



The construction of the yard should be nearly concave, .or shelving 

 towards the centre, to which spot may flow the drainage from the 

 stables and cattle-sheds; and there should be a pipe or drain com- 

 municating with the cesspool, or, at all events, with the dung-stance or 

 pit. If a large court is divided into two or more yards, and the whole 

 is shaped in one concave, care must be taken that the gateways are not 

 made in low places, or the bottom will cut up and become almost 

 impassable at wet seasons. We know even of cases where yards have 

 been made with concave bottoms without a drain or cesspool, the 

 consequence being that the middle of such a yard is little better 

 than a pond. To avoid expense, many farmers bottom their yards 

 with earth, or rubbish, in order, by absorption of the drainage, to 

 form a compost in the yard itself. The saving thus obtained is, by 

 experienced persons, regarded as trifling, when compared with the 

 injury probably done to the store cattle by thus retaining the moisture 

 beneath them, dryness of situation being considered most essential 

 to their health, and indispensable to their thriving. The driest 

 bottoming is furze, but stubble, potato-haulm, or any other loose 

 refuse, will answer the purpose ; over this the yard should be bedded 

 deep in straw. Earth, though very valuable in a compost, should 

 never be used within the yard. 



The farm- or straw-yard should always be sheltered on the north 

 and east by open sheds or hovels, in order that in winter or cold 

 weather the cattle may be protected. The feeding-yards and sheds 

 should be provided with turnip and water troughs. As it is more 

 the custom now than formerly to give the animals short food in the 

 form of chaff, ample manger-room should be provided, and the best 

 position for this is at the back of the hovels. Fig. 200 illustrates 

 a good form of yard-rack for hay and straw. It is made by Messrs. 

 Musgrave of Belfast. 



