1909.] The Construction of Cow Houses. 



to existing buildings, and more especially when no part of 

 these has previously been utilised for dairy purposes, that 

 the greatest difficulties occur. In such circumstances, it is 

 seldom possible to get all the details worked out as completely 

 as can be done where everything is new, but with care and 

 skill there should be no real difficulty in effecting consider- 

 able improvement on the average building of the present 

 day. 



While shelter from heavy winds is desirable, no cow house 

 should have any buildings, such as hay or straw sheds, or 

 buildings occupied by other kinds of stock, erected against 

 the side walls. If the building is one such as an open fronted 

 shelter for implements, little objection can be urged against 

 it, but anything which would interfere with the proper ven- 

 tilation of the cow house should be placed somewhere else. 

 Land is not so very costly round the average farm that there 

 is any excuse for crowding buildings together, as is not 

 infrequently the case. 



Walls. — The walls may be of any material which is plentiful 

 and cheap in the district, and with suitable precautions equally 

 good buildings may be erected of stone, brick, concrete, 

 wood, or wood and iron. If of stone or brick, all outside 

 walls should be neatly pointed, and inside ones plastered, or 

 faced with bricks, either enamelled on the one side, or hard 

 pressed. Where plastering is adopted, cement should be 

 used for a height of six feet from the floor. Above that the 

 surface should be smooth, and of such a nature that it can 

 be either washed or lime-washed. If the building is to be 

 of wood, or wood and iron, all uprights and sills should be 

 of creosoted timber. The extra expense will not be great, 

 while the life of the building will at least be doubled. 



Roof. — While any kind of roofing material may be adopted, 

 with more or less advantage in particular districts, a wooden 

 roof covered with slates or tiles should be given the prefer- 

 ence. No matter what is the material used or what is the 

 design of the building, in every case in this country it should 

 be open to the ridge. Other countries with more severe 

 climates than ours may tolerate lofts and barns above, but 

 here nothing of the kind should be permitted. The extra 

 cost of planing the inside surface of all parts of the roof is 



