1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



149 



belorg to the farmers of the country. Write early, 

 before they are all distributed. 



In relation to your other inquiry, we are happy 

 to refer you to an article in this paper by "L. B." 



BAUN "WITH DRITE"WAY TO SECOND FLOOR. 



Agi-eeably to your request for plans of conven- 

 ient barns, I send you those of mine, which is 

 40x60 feet. The length of posts, between sills and 

 plates, is 21 feet. The height of stables is eight 

 feet; of cellar the same, with wall running down 

 two feet for drainage. Length of platform for 

 cows, tied with chains, five feet and three inches, 

 with an inclination of 1^ inches. The annexed 

 plans and descriptions will, I think, give a good 

 idea of my barn. William H. Geay. 



Ashfield, Mass., Jan. 11, 1870. 



Perspective View. — From the mere outlines of 

 the building as a whole, which were furnished by 

 Mr. Gray, our artists have produced a very pretty 

 picture. We mistrust, however, that they have 

 made their stable doors of the first floor rather 

 large; and, not being farmers, they have allowed 

 the grass and weeds so large a growth in their yard 

 as to hide too much the thresholds of the doors and 

 the wall on which the sills rest. — Eds. Farmer. 



PLAN OF BASEMENT. 



Explanation of Plan of Basement.— a a are cellars 

 for maiure from stables above, 13x40 feet ; b, place for 

 muck, loil, &c., 10x40 fett, with stairs, fig, 2, leading to 

 stable above ; c, pen for calves or sheep, 24x28 feet, with 

 ataira, fig. 1, leading to alley above in front of horses; 

 e, piggeiy, 12x24 feet. 



floor above and to stable below; ft, horse stable, 12x16 

 feet; i, closet for harness ; j, bay for hay, with etairs at 

 fig. 6, and alley in front of horses at fig. 6. 



Plan of Second Floor.— jj, bays for hay, one 28x36, 

 the other 24x28 feet; k, floor for drawing in hay, 12x60 

 feet, which is reached by an incUned bankment. 



Plan of First Floor.— ff, cattle stables, each 13x40 

 feet; g, feeding alley and driveway for dumping muck 

 into cellar, 10x40 feet, with stairs at flg. 6, leading to 



SUGAR MAKING. 



Some of your correspondents last spring spoke 

 unfavorably of the use "of metallic spouts in sugar 

 making, and expressed a preference for wocden 

 ones. Having tried many kinds of sprouts, I will 

 give a few hints from my experience. I prefer the 

 tin spout to any other that I have used. I use the 

 quarter-inch bit, and think I get nearly as much 

 sap as from a three-quarter inch bore, and do not 

 injure the tree one-half as much. Bored with the 

 small bit, the hole in the tree closes up the first 

 season, and consequently leaves less chance for 

 borers and other insects. I use a five-eighths inch 

 tin spout made like a dipper handle by any tin- 

 man. They are driven just into the bark of the 

 tree. I find sap will run through tubes thus 

 adjusted in a colder day than in open wood spouts, 

 — and that the sap will start earlier in the morning 

 and continue flowing later at night. They' are 

 more easily kept clean, and not as liable to be 

 clogged wi;h chips, leaves, &c. As sap flows the 

 most freely close to the bark, wooden sprouts are 

 often driven in so far as to stop the best run of 

 the sap. I have seen them driven into the tree so 

 firjply as to support the bucket by a wire passing 

 ovCT the spout. Where spouts are driven under 

 the hole made by the bit, the sun will often dry 

 up the wood of the tree so as to stop the running 

 of the sap. 



I have made sugar out-doors with only a few 

 stones laid up to set the boilers on, and to make a 

 place for the fire, where the wind would blow dust 

 and ashes into the syrup, and have had my hair 

 and eye brows scorched by aflame suddenly blown 

 into my face by a gust of wind, and from my own 

 experience would advise all sugar makers to have 

 some kind of sugar house. J. 



Hardwick, Mass., Jan. 10, 1870. 



ADULTERATION OF MILK. 



I have read the reports of the discussions at the 

 Milk Producers' Association, with some pleasure, 

 and with much pain. It was there stated that 

 twenty-five per cent, of the so-called milk sold in 

 Boston was some foreign article ; thus charging 

 the milkmen with swindling, and no small amounc 

 of it either. Now I know but little about the 

 milkmen who get their milk at other roads than 

 the Boston and Albany. But most of these men I 

 have known personally for from twelve to twenty- 

 five years. 



Perhaps your readers will think I make a strong 

 statement when I say, I know most of these men 

 do not adulterate their milk. They are honorable, 

 square dealing men, who would despise such busi- 

 ness as much as any one. 



The large quantity of milk that goes to Boston, 



