1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



169 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Reported fou the F.uimer dy D. W. Loihrop. 



The seventh meeting of the series Avas held on 

 Monday evening last, at the Representatives' Hall, 

 when the subject foi* discussion was that of the 

 previous meeting, namely, Farm Buildings. 



Mr. Stedman, of the Committee on Agricul- 

 ture, called the meeting to order, and observed, 

 that though he did not intend to preside — expect- 

 ing Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, to do so — he would 

 occupy the chair till he came. Not desiring then 

 to discuss the subject himself, he would call upon 



Mr. Wetherell, of Boston. Mr. W. spoke 

 of the importance of the subject to farmers, of the 

 necessity of a good farm-house, with proper out- 

 buildings, convenient, tasty, and located near to- 

 gether. There was economy in this, not only for 

 the farmer's own vise, but also in letting them, if 

 occasion required. The dwelling should be of a 

 size convenient for the family, and should be tasty 

 rather than costly — and so with the other build- 

 ings generally. They exert a happy influence 

 upon the children, and the speaker contrasted 

 those bred in a low thatched-roof cottage with 

 those reared in dwellings of more architectural 

 beauty. The former were apt to be but little 

 above animals, while the latter were neat and in- 

 telligent. He thought the grounds around barns 

 should be underdrained, as a point in neatness, 

 and spoke of the evils of damp barns, and their 

 evil influence upon sheep. He also alluded to the 

 importance of the ventilation of barns ; the strong 

 scent of ammonia affecting the hay, though not 

 always perceptible to those frequently in the 

 buildings. The heat arising from the manure, al- 

 so, he thought bad for the cattle, especially where 

 occasional di"aughts of cold air were introduced. 

 He advocated ventilation, but it should be at the 

 top, and spoke of some improvements upon the 

 old arrangements for this purpose. The milk, too, 

 of cows without good air, he believed was much 

 deteriorated. Barns for cattle should be only of 

 medium warmth, as heat tends to weaken them. 

 He spoke well of watering stock inside of the 

 bam ; the room they required, their position, &c. 

 In regard to the disease of cattle being influenced 

 by tight barns, he thought there was danger, and 

 urged proper ventilation. Hay, in such barns, he 

 again intimated, was injured, and he thought it 

 well to keep this in one barn, and the cattle in an- 

 other, Avith a railway, perhaps, between them for 

 transporting it — laborious it might be, but he 

 thought well of it. He could not favor barn cel- 

 .ars, as he had not the slightest doubt of their 

 bad efl'ect upon the hay above them, as in such 

 barns a man's clothes would become saturated in 

 an hour with ammonia. 



Hon. John Brooks, of Princeton, being called 

 upon, spoke of his experience in regaxd to barns. 



They should be adapted to the immediate circum- 

 stances of the farmer. He had built two with some 

 good arrangements in each ; but he seemed to fa- 

 vor the old New England style, with a door at each 

 end. He objected to pitching hay higher than the 

 beams, and thought the bays should be broad. 

 He has a barn cellar, and formerly worked his 

 manure over in it the first year, but thought it in- 

 jured his hay, as it changed to an ash color. He 

 noAV carts out his manure in the spring, and sees 

 no discoloration of the hay ; would have a cellar 

 aside from his barn, and shove the manure into it, 

 but would not have it under the hay. He has a 

 cow-yard, 40 by 70 feet, which is covered, and he 

 tliinks the manure improved. He ventilates his 

 barn at the top, but none can be kept entirely 

 sweet. High barns were objectionable, as we 

 should not pitch hay more than sixteen feet. He 

 recommended turning out cattle for water, but we 

 should be careful, and not let them drink too 

 much, wliich they were inclined to do. 



Gen. Sutton, of Salem, being called up by Mr. 

 Ploward, said he commenced farming thirty-five 

 years ago on four acres, and finding his barn not 

 large enough, built another 42 by 70 feet, with 18 

 feet posts. Has a cellar under this barn, a part 

 of it for vegetables and fruit, and keeps eighteen 

 cows, with other cattle, numbering forty. The 

 manure goes into the pen underneath. He has 

 three ventilators to his cellar, which terminate at 

 the eaves of the barn. The barn is ventilated by 

 two small windows at the gable end, and generally 

 contains SO tons of hay. Has three barns 100* 

 feet apart ; one he keeps for hay, another for oxen 

 and horses, and the other for macliines and farm 

 implements. In it there is a carpenter's shop, and 

 also a room for his men, whom he supplies Avith 

 agricultural newspapers. As to barn cellars, he 

 thought they should be ventilated, as they might 

 otherwise damage the hay. He said again, he 

 commenced with four acres, but now has four hun- 

 dred, and likes farming better and better as he 

 grows older. To the question as to whether he 

 had made money, he replied he had not lost any ! 

 And to that of Mr. Wetherell, as to composting 

 his manure in his cellars, he replied that he cleaned 

 them out once a month, and composts it where he 

 uses it. As to whether he approved of barn cel- 

 lars, he responded to Mr. Stedman that he did, 

 and Avould as soon build a house without a chim- 

 ney as a barn without a cellar. 



Mr. Brooks said Gen. S. carried out his ma- 

 nure, and as one side of his cellar was open, it did 

 not test the question as to the odor from cellars. 

 Even in winter ammonia would rise. 



Hon. J. QuiNCY, Jr., said he moved his manure 

 often, and covers it with muck. He was glad to 

 hear that others can-ied it out in the winter, as ha 

 felt encouraged. 



