344 YETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



relative value of open and covered yards, which has been 

 decisively settled in favour of the latter. 



Open and Covered Yards.— The size of these must depend 

 upon the number of animals, but many think that small 

 yards, say for ten head of cattle, are preferable to large 

 ones. If open yards are used some shelter-shed for the 

 cattle must be employed. These sheds should be provided 

 •with mangers or feeding troughs, while in the yard water 

 for the animals must be available. 



The covered yard is completely roofed over, by which 

 means it is found the animals thrive on less food, and the 

 valuable portions of the manure are not lost by rain, while 

 there is also an economy in bedding, only about half the 

 amount of straw being used. 



The roof employed in these yards must be well ventilated, 

 either of those in Figs. 84 and 85 may be used, in fact 

 Fig. 85 is taken from an article on ' Covered Yards.'* An 

 open roof may be covered with slates or tiles, or the open 

 roof-slating described on p. 278 may be employed ; if 

 economy is a very strong point a wooden roof of open 

 boards, described on p. 279, may be used. Efficient venti- 

 lation is essential in covered yards, and each type of roof 

 described meets this requirement. 



The Straw Yard, as it is frequently termed (whether 

 covered or uncovered), has another function to perform, 

 a consideration of which we have reserved to the last ; it is 

 a sort of cesspit, into which all the liquid excreta from the 

 byres and stables finds its way, to be absorbed by the 

 bedding. Hence in a small farm it is centrally placed, and 

 in a large one three or four exist, depending on circum- 

 stances. 



Before the straw yard is formed the earth is excavated 

 to a certain depth, and a situation is chosen into which 

 and out of which there is drainage. The object of this is 

 to ensure the reception of the full contents of the byres or 

 boxes, while at the same time the liquid which filters 



* Mr. W. J. Mosorop, Transactions of the Boyal Agricultural 

 Society of England, 3rd Series, vol. i., 1890. 



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