1861. 



^>^E^V EMGLAXD FARMER. 



49 



feet. The front door is recessed three feet, and 

 opens into a vestibule, No. 2, six feet wide. On 

 the left is the parlor, No. 3, 14 feet by 20, con- 

 necting by moans of glazed folding- doors with 

 the library. No. 4, 10 by 14 feet. On the right 

 of the vestibule is the dining-room. No. 5, 14 

 feet by 16, and back of the dining-room is the 

 kitchen. No. 6, 13 feet by 16. Between these 

 two rooms is a passage containing cupboards for 

 china. The kitchen is furnished with a large 

 store-closet, and a sink, and pump. In order to 

 economise room, we have provided but one stair- 

 case, and have placed it in a convenient but re- 

 tired position in the rear hall. No. 7, separated 

 from the vestibule by a glazed door. For sleep- 

 ing accommodation we have provided four cham- 

 bers, with closets, and a bathing-room on the sec- 

 . ond floor, and three chambers, and a clothing- 

 room in the attics, making in all seven chambers; 

 a large number for a house of this size. 



Construction and Cost. — Built of wood, and 

 covered with clapboards or sheathing, (either 

 method being more appropriate for a dwelling of 

 this style than the vertical boarding,) the roof 

 covered with slate, and the interior plainly fin- 

 ished, this house would cost fi'om 3800 dollars to 

 4000. The first story is ten feet high, and the 

 second nine and a half. 



WlifTKR Mulching. — Our New England win- 

 ters are trying to many of our plants, shrubs, and 

 even trees, and some of them that are highly val- 

 ued are annually lost, either by the intensity of 

 the cold, or by the alternation of cold and heat. 

 Bulbs, flowering shrubs, and even young trees, 

 such as apple, pear, peach and apricot, are killed, 

 after being tended with care for several j'ears. 

 This may be prevented, in many instances, by 

 throwing around the base of the tree, and extend- 

 ing some two or three feet from it, any coarse lit- 

 ter, such as leaves, straw, fine chips from the door- 

 yard, or even fine brush, such as birch, alder, or 



what is better, pine, hemlock or spruce branches. 

 Nothing, however, is so good as the cleanings of 

 the horse stable where the animals are bedded 

 with straw. This becomes saturated with their 

 droppings, its fibre being crushed with their feet 

 so as to fit it for a good absorbent. 



When this is applied, the double purpose is 

 served of protecting the plants and of fertilizing 

 them by the matter which is washed out during 

 the winter and spring rains. After the frost leaves 

 the gi'ound, the coarse remainder may be spaded 

 in with the most decided advantage. 



VENTILATIOK OF BABKS AIJD STABLES 



ijsr ^^7■INTES,. 



At this season the ventilation of stables should 

 be well attended to, for on the approach of winter 

 we naturally shut the doors and windows of sta- 

 bles, and should at the same time make provision 

 for a fair amount of ventilation. Those who can- 

 not be induced from kindness to the animal, to 

 make the necessary arrangements for ventilation, 

 should at least do so as a matter of self-interest. 

 Every animal breathes atmosphere for the purpose 

 of abstracting oxygen from it, and when instead 

 of this, large amounts of sulphuretted hydrogen 

 are present, arising from decomposition of feces, 

 gaseous exudations from the surfaces of other 

 bodies, etc., the ox cannot maintain his existence, 

 except by the use of a greater amount of food. 

 He will not increase in size while breathing an 

 impure atmosphere, while the digestion of larger 

 amounts of food by unnatural and forced process- 

 es, vitiates the quality of the atmosphere to be 

 breathed, to a still greater extent. With milch 

 cows the milk is lessened in quantity, and mate- 

 rially deteriorated in quality. With horses the 

 want of ventilation produces lassitude and inferi- 

 or muscular development ; this is particularly 

 true of young horses ; indeed, the general efi"ects 

 on animals are such as are sufi"ered by the in- 

 mates of badly ventilated alms-houses, prisons, 

 etc. In making the necessary arrangements for 

 ventilation, great attention should be paid not to 

 create strong drafts of air, so as to reduce the tem- 

 perature. A tube brought down from above the 

 ceiling, communicating with the outside atmos- 

 phere, will permit pure air to pass into the build- 

 ing, while an opening at the level of the ceiling, 

 and another slightly lower than the heads of the 

 animals, will permit the heated gases to rise, as 

 well as the gases exuded from the animals, etc., 

 to pass out, being replaced from the first named 

 source. Such openings, if of proper size, will not 

 materially cool the stable. It must be remembered 

 that when stables are at too low a temperature, a 

 larger amount of food is required to furnish the 

 necessary animal heat. Stables should be sup- 

 plied with disinfecting agents underlaying the 

 bedding, for the purpose of absorbing such gases 

 as will come in contact with them. Charcoal 

 dust, and many other substances which we have 

 before enumerated, will answer this purpose. 

 Slight dustings of Plaster of Paris are also useful, 

 and these should find their way to the compost 

 heap in time, and in the very best condition as 

 food for plants. — Working Farmer. 



