//^/ 



130 



THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. 



Aup 2i 



[For the Country Gentleman and CuUivntor,] 



A LARGE TH REE- STORY BARN. 



[Tlie insertion of the following excellent generRl plan 

 of a three-story barn has been unintentionally delayed, 

 but it has lost none of its value by keeping. We arc un- 

 able to give the plan of the grounds about the house on 

 account of the large space they would require iu an en- 

 graving.] 



Mkssrs. Editors — Some three years ago I wrote a de- 

 scription of a barn rfhich I had then lately built, for your 

 paper, and as I was about communicating it to you, 

 my attention was called to the subject of the horse pitch- 

 fork, which just then seemed to engross public attention. 

 I therefore thought it prudent to wait a while, to sec 

 whether hay could be more easily pitched up than tumbled 

 down; and notwithstanding the benefits of that fork, I 

 am satisfied that hay will easier go with its gravity than 

 be made to fly upwards. 



The first thing then to be considered in building a barn, 

 is to select a suitable site. The object wa.«, convenient 

 distance from the house — about 15 rods; supply of water, 

 a hard bottom, and an easy drive through the barn, length- 

 wise with the roof, as the general floor, so as to throw the 

 hay, 4c., down, instead of pitching up. The stabling is 

 in tlie basement. 



The barn is one hundred and seventy feet long in the 

 centre, besides an ell thirty feet. The creek through the 

 yards is stoned up at the sides and filled back with clay, 

 to prevent washing in from the yards. The creek runs 

 through both cow and sheep yards, ihd twice under the 

 barn. 



The walls of the stabling, or ba.sement, are of mason 

 work, excepting at the deep bay and horse stable, and 

 these arc same distance from the ground, theie being a de- 

 pression there where the creek passes out from the yards 

 and barn. The mason work is founded on the solid slate 

 rock, which constitutes the floor of the stabling, cut down 

 several feet in some places to form a convenient floor 

 The timbers at each end of the burn rest against the solid 

 rock, which forms the bank. The barn has an angle, near 

 the centre, of twenty degrees from a right line, to fit the 

 bank. The following figure represents the first story or 

 basement: — 



to keep the wagon-wheels in Iheir place. Over the hcn- 

 ery at the sides of passage floor, are cribs for corn ; and 

 at the other extreme end, are .spaces iit the side of the 

 passage for mower, horse-rake, plows, Sic. The hayrack 

 ia drawn up to the peak of the roof over the floor by 

 rope.^. 



The bays contain over 60,000 cubic feet, [and will 

 therefore hold over 100 tons.] The capacity of this barn 

 is equal to eight common barns, which cost about $400 

 each. The cost of this was about *ll,r)00 ; so you will see 

 that economy constitutes a prominent feature. 1 am about 

 adding lean-tos on the sheep-yard side, as stabling for 

 sheep or other slock ; al.so a shed in the corner of the ell 

 and barn nearest the house, where the ground rises to the 

 second story, as a convenient shelter for horses and cai- 

 riage, when liarncssed and hitched on. 



1 find this barn as convenient, and 1 think more so, than 

 any I have seen elsewhere. Z. A. L'el'ani). 



FIk. 1. 



A A, Stables for cows and «tcor». | H, Slaui:1itcr-house and gtraw- 



l n, Horse stabteB. | rooms. 



C. Peep b»y. I, Henerv. 



D. f beeps' apartment. K, Slieep-jsrd. surrounded by 



E. Plgnery. I creek, and rocks 20 feet hlnh, 

 h, Konts. covered with trees. 



O, Hospital., I L, Catlleyard. 



The basement has windows on both sides, except against 

 the ell, the hospital, and root room, where the bank rises 

 to the top of the basement. The windows are in two sash 

 each, made to slide by each other. 



The second story is all in bays, excepting the henery is 

 two stories. The ell in second story, is a carriage-room 

 and workshop ; and a space eight feet wide, leading from 

 the centre of ell across the barn, to let feed chopped above 

 on the floor, down ; and also grain threshed on the floor 

 above, to fall down. There are scuttle-holes to pass the 

 hay down in front of stock. 



The third story has the main floor running through the 

 whole length of the barn ; this is even with the bank at 

 each end, by which we drive in at one end and out at the 

 other. This is above the beams. The floor is eight feet 

 wide, and the space for the load is wider at the top — a 

 cross section of which is represented 

 by the following figure. This makes 

 the pa.ssage for loads ample, and yet 

 " no waste room. This floor is ample 

 for thra.shiiig either with machines. 

 Hails, or horses; and the advaiitage 



_ _ of being narrow i.s, the hay can be 



IK, i'io'orpasandc. rolled off on either side over the 

 girtL. There are limbers placed on each side of the floor, 



»•« — _ 



(For the Country Gentleman and Cultivator.] 



Snapping Beetle — Blight on Apple Trees. 



West I'latt.soiihoii, N. Y., July 23, 186l! 

 Ens. Co. Gent.— Inclosed you will /ind an insect which I 

 found under tho bark of ono of my apple trees. I was talk- 

 ing with one of my neighbors last night; ho is in full faith 

 that the enclosed insect is what has destroyed so many of our 

 trees tho past and this season. I wish you to give us your 

 opinion in regard to tho matter. Tho way tho tree operates 

 (from some cause, whether in consequence of the sting of this 

 insect, or otherwise) is: The bark willcomnionce and turn black 

 on the Iwdy of tho tree for 6 or 8 inches in length, and cleave from 

 the wood, and then tho sap, or some other substjinco will run 

 down and destroy tho bark to the root. It often occurs on the 

 limhs ; it then uses up tho limb entirely, and whether its 

 ravages will stop with the limb, is more than I can tell. I 

 had, one year ago, as handsome an orchard as one would wish 

 lo see ; but this spring there is something that makes a man's 

 heart sick of trying to raise trees in this section. It is not 

 only with my trees, but with all that are in this section. I 

 have laid it to the hard winters and our dry summers for the 

 past two years, but in conversation with this neighbor, as 

 above mentioned. I could not make him believo in that, or 

 that it was tho result of anything but the work of this insect. 



>I. K. 0. 

 The insect accompanying the above is a snapping beetle, 

 one of the numerous species of the genus Athnus in the 

 family Elatkrid/E. I have not leisure at present to study 

 out its name. It is quite common to find tlie beetles of 

 this group under the loose bark of dead trees. Their 

 larvte arc the well known " wire worms," which feed on 

 the roots of plants, and some of them also on the bark and 

 wood of trees, generally trees that are dead. I do not 

 think this snapping beetle has anything to do in causing 

 the malady to which M. E. 0. refers. Some of my own 

 apple trees are dead, and others are dying, from the same 

 disease which he so well describes. I at first suspected it 

 might be caused by the soap I was each year applying to 

 the bark to repel the borers from the trees. But further 

 observation satisfies me this is not the case. Several of my 

 soaped trees remain thrifty and perfectly free as yet from 

 this disease. Frequently the first.commencement of it is 

 where a limb has been sawed ofl' in trimming the tree. It 

 appears to me to be the same disease which has been so 

 fatal in pear trees, and lo which the names " fire bli"ht," 

 " sour sap blight," and " frozen sap blight," have been 

 applied. But, except those which are occasioned by in- 

 sect, I have not given that attention to the diseases of 

 trees which entitles my opinion to much weight. 



,^^ ASA FiTCn. 



[For tbe-Country Oentlcmao and Cultivator.] 



THE GRAIN APHIS AND LADY-BIRD. 



A species of Aphides made its appearance on the oats 

 in this neighborhood about the 18th of July. It was of a 

 reddish brown appearance, and after a short time thcv 

 assumed the form of a fly with wings. They gathered iu 

 clustei's around the stem connecting the grain wilh the 

 stalk, and deprived the grain of the juices necessary to its 

 development. The larva; of the lady-bird were very 

 numerous, and I never had such an opportimity of observ- 

 ing its habits. It is a pale blue insect wilh reddish spots 

 along its sides, and it is quite an interesting sight to ob- 

 serve it seize upon these aphides and devour them, and 

 then to watch its translbrmation into the beautiful lady- 

 bird. I have been truly delighted in ob.serving the ehangoa 

 it passes through ; fastening Itself to a leaf, the skin of the 

 larva! bursts open, and a reddish bug appears thai gradual- 

 ly takes the form of a perfect lady-birtl. 

 Hunterdon Co., N. J. j. w. l. 



ilw ^HtuniUst. 



THE SPARROW. 



The House Sparrow of Europe has an unpopular chnr- 

 actcr. In some places, a price has been offered for its 



extirpation, and Unffon sums up in the following style: 



" It 13 extremely de,«truelive ; its plumage is entirely use- 

 less ; its flesh indifferent food ; its notes grating to tho 

 ear, and its familiarity and petnlance disgusting." 



No share of this odium, however, onglit to be extended 

 to the American Spmrowji, for we know of no birds more 

 deserving of our regard or protection. Their interests 

 and ours never interfere ; indeed most of their labors con- 

 duce to our benefit ; and their music, though overpowered 

 by the stronger notes of the Thrush and of the Robin, is 

 always pleasing when it can be heard without interruption. 



Of this family, the Song Sparrow is decidedly the finest. 

 He visits us earlier in the spring than any other migratory 

 songster, and sings to us for several weeks, aln)ost with- 

 out a competitor. The same notes arc repeated many 

 times in succession ; lie then changes and repents others 

 in the same manner. 



"Of all our Sparrows," says WiLson, "this is the most 

 numerous, the ihost generally diffused over the United 

 Stales, and by far the earlie.ft, and moat lasting songster. 

 It is the first singing bird in spring, except the black capt 

 Titmouse, taking precedence even of the Pewee and Blue 

 Bird, lis song continues occasionally during the whole 

 summer and fall ; and is sometimes heard (near Philadel- 

 phia,) in winter. The notes or chant, are short but very 

 sweet, resembling the beginning of the canary's song, and 

 frequently repealed, generally Irom the branches of a bush 

 or small tree, where it sits chanting for hours together. 

 It is fond of frequenting the boiders of rivers, meadows, 

 swamps and such like places, and if wounded aud unable 

 to fly, will readily take to the water, and swim with con- 

 siderable rapidity. 



The Bay--win{i'ed Buntinfr- 



This bird resembles a Sparrow both in manners and 

 appearance. When Hying it is readily known by two 

 outside while feathers in iu tail. Though not gregarious, 

 they appear in considerable numbers along the road, and 

 v.e suspect they are fond of rolling in the dust. The 

 notes are rather louder but less musical than the Song 

 Sparrow; niwl in the morning and evening t!:c:i-v;vac;ly 

 seems to be increased by the emulation of numbers. 



"This bird," says Wilson, "delights in frequenting 

 grass and clover fields, perches on the tops of fences, 

 singing from ihe middle of April to the beginning of July, 

 with a clear and pleasant note, in which particular it far 

 excels its European relation. They frequent the middle 

 of fields more than hedges ; run along the ground like a 

 lark, which they also resemble in the great breadth of 

 their wings. They are timid birds, and rarely approach 

 the farm house." c. n. b. Henrietta, Aug. 1861. 



»•■♦ 



ANECDOTES OF ELEPHANTS. 



An Intf>ii,ige.nt Ei.kpiu.st, — "Tell my grandchildren," 

 said the late Kight Rev. Daniel Wilson, writing home from 

 India, " that an elephant here had a disease in his eyes. 

 For three days he had been completely blind. His own- 

 er, an engineer officer, asked my dear Dr. Webb, if he 

 could do anything to relieve the poor animal; The doctor 

 said he would try nitrate of silver, which was a remedy 

 commonly applied lo similar diseases in the human eye. 

 The huge animal was ordered to lie down, and at first, on 

 the application of the remedy, raised a most extraordinary 

 roar at the acute pain which it occasioned. The effect, 

 however, was wonderful. The eye was, in a manner, 

 restored, and the animal could partially see. The next 

 day, when he was brought, and heard the doctor's voice, 

 he laid down of himself, placed his enormous head on 

 one side, curled up his trunk, drew in his breath just like 

 a man about to endure an operation, gave a sigh of relief 

 when it was over, and then, by trunk and gestures, evi- 

 dently wished lo express his gratitude." What sagacity ! 

 What tt lesson to us of prtlienee. 



Mkmory ok the Elephant. — A female elephant be- 

 longing to a gentleman in Calcutta, who was ordered from 

 the upper country to ChitUigong, in the route thither, 

 broke loose from her keeper, and making her way to the 

 woods, was lost. The keeper made every excuse lo vindi- 

 cate himself, which the master of the animal would not 

 listen to, but branded the man with carelessness, or some- 

 thing worse ; for it was instantly supposed that he hud 

 sold the clcpliaut. He was tried for it, aud condemned 

 to work on the roads for life, and his wife and children 

 were sold as slaves. About twelve years afterwards, this 

 man, who was well known to be acquainted with breaking 

 elephants, was sent into the country with a party to assist 

 in catching wild ones. They eumc upon a herd, and tlii;i 

 man fancied he saw among the group his lung lust ele- 

 phant, for which he had been eomlenined. He resolved 

 to approach it ; nor could the strongest remmistranco of 

 the party dissuade him from the attempt. Havuig reached 



