London International Exhilition, 1879. 779 
The most striking feature in the exhibition of farm plans 
at Kilburn, viewed as a whole, was the fact that the covering of 
stock and manure was the object most frequently aimed at — a 
large number of the exhibitors adopting permanent roofs for 
fold-yards, and, in some cases, for corn, straw, and hay stacks. 
Of the selected plans in Classes I. and II., intended for arable 
farms, those of " Colonicus " (Mr. Richard Waite, of Duffield, 
Derby), and of " Per Mare per Terram " (Mr. F. E. Walker, of 
Scole, Norfolk), represent yards wholly covered ; while the plans 
of " Practice with Economy " (Mr. A. Dudley Clarke, of Sun- 
dome, Shrewsbury), of " Experientia " (Mr. J. E. Watson, of 
Newcastle-on-Tyne), and of " Utility," No. 2 (Messrs. W. J. and 
W. J. Moscrop, jun., of Stockton-on-Tees), are well-considered 
designs, in which partial covering is proposed. The design 
of " The Eye of the Master is necessary to the due Economy of 
Labour " (Messrs. C. and J. Cadle, of Gloucester) represents 
open yards only, though care has been taken to indicate that 
these yards may be readily covered at a comparatively small 
cost. 
There is no doubt whatever that the principle of protecting 
from the weather both animals and manure has gained ground 
considerably since the Society offered prizes for plans of farm 
buildings thirty years ago. The economy of warmth in feeding 
both growing and fatting stock, and the value of straw for 
fodder as well as litter, have both tended to the covering of 
fold-yards — a step which is likely to be more and more appre- 
ciated as our population increases and agriculture undergoes 
those changes which best promote the increased production of 
winter-fed meat. It is difficult to say which of the two characters 
of stock — matured beasts preparing for the butcher, or growing 
steers and heifers, which it is intended to turn into pastures 
during the summer — do best under cover during winter. 
Experience in a majority of cases has contradicted the assertion, 
that open yards with shelter-sheds are more healthy than covered 
yards for young animals. It is found to be hardly possible 
to make any animals too snug and warm if the accommoda- 
tion is associated with proper ventilation, though many tenants 
of tillage farms, producing a large quantity of straw, prefer 
open fold-yards, on the simple ground that straw is more 
quickly consumed. It has been advanced with great truth that 
farmyard-manure made under a roof, owing to its dryness and 
want of solidity, loses a great part of the ammonia it should 
hold, and that its fertilising powers are thereby much reduced ; 
but experience has proved that this dry and light condition is 
due rather to the wasteful use of straw as litter, where the 
obligation to consume it on the premises prevails, than to any 
