1922.] Planning and Construction of Farm Buildings. 711 



Broadly speaking, where completely new buildings have been 

 erected, the main objects have been to facilitate the economical 

 distribution of prepared food stuffs and to provide shelter and 

 accommodation for animals in the most concentrated manner. 



In many cases the buildings have been elaborate and costly 

 in construction, conveying the idea that the then methods of 

 farming were fixed for all time and that " adaptability " was 

 a word undreamed of. 



Present Day Conditions. — Before describing the accompany- 

 ing plans it may be wise to analyse briefly a few of the more 

 pressing problems of the moment, pertaining to farm design 

 and construction, as applied to larger holdings. 



Leaving the specialist out of account, it is probably correct 

 to say that for general farming purposes the primary need is 

 sound and economic planning designed in every possible way 

 to limit capital expenditure, to cheapen production by 

 ease and economy of labour and economy in annual mainten- 

 ance, while in addition to these there is an ever-growing- 

 demand to find the best possible solution for the hygienic 

 well-being and improvement of stock of all kinds and at the 

 same time to increase production. 



Another important factor is the demand for the production 

 of clean milk, which in turn compels action of a more or less 

 restrictive character to achieve the end in view. 



In addition to these facts, there is the almost daily increas- 

 ing importance of scientific research applied to every branch 

 of husbandry, and it is therefore evident that the whole busi- 

 ness of farming is passing through an exceptional period of 

 transition. If these facts are admitted, it is all-important for 

 the farm architect to keep an open mind, to v/atch for any 

 signs of new ideas and methods designed to meet the problems 

 of the moment, or to forestall the advent of those to come in 

 the near future. 



It is seriously suggested that the proper planning of farm 

 buildings offers to the designer at least as many problems in 

 arrangement and construction, albeit the latter may be of 

 simple type, as any other scientific or commercial undertaking, 

 but with one very important addition. 



In most building undertakings of a commercial character 

 there are two chief factors : (1) The efficiencv, health and 

 comfort of the human beings employed in the business, and 

 (2) the convenience and efficiency of the building for its imme- 

 diate purpose. In the planning of farm buildings we have 



