358 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



and has a hip or saddle roof. The posts, which stand 

 upon plank sills that rest upon the stone walls of the 

 basement, are 20 feet high, and the height of the base- 

 ment inside is about 8 feet from the floor of the basement 

 to the floor above it. The basement will accommodate 

 50 animals tied in stalls, and from 30 to 40 animals young 

 and old in the box stalls. The barn above the basement 

 has storage capacity for fodder, grain and bedding, suf- 

 ficient for the wants of as many animals as can be 

 properly kept in the basement from early autumn until 

 the grass is plentiful in the spring. 



On page 356 the plan of the basement is shown. It 

 was planned to accommodate a pure-bred breeding herd 

 of beef cattle, but it will answer C|uite as well for a dairy 

 herd. If one or two silos were wanted, they could be 

 given the space now occupied by one or both the root 

 cellars, or, to save room, they could both be erected quite 

 outside the basement. If but one bull pen was desired 

 the additional one could be, of course, used by cows or 

 young cattle. 



A cement floor covers the whole of the basement. 

 The soil underneath it is hard, tenacious clay. Above 

 the clay small and broken stones were placed to the 

 depth of 4 inches, but gravel will answer equally well. 

 Above the stones a coating of 2 to 3 inches of water lime 

 was applied, and above the water lime good Portland 

 cement was spread to the depth of ^4 of an inch. The 

 floor has given much satisfaction. Notwithstanding the 

 years of wear to which it has been subjected, it has not 

 given way to any appreciable extent. 



The plan of the stalls is also given in the sketch on 

 page 356. It shows that they are double, and gives their 

 flimensions. The partitions between them are boarded 

 up from the floor to the height of about 3' j feet. Each 

 of the uprights to which the divisi(_)n boards are nailed 

 aids so far in supporting the great weight of the floors 

 abo\e, thus giving to it great solidity. 



