484 
Covered Cattle Yards. 
plete and satisfactory manner. I selected one as a fair specimen, 
erected on Hopewell Farm in 1888, the yard measuring 63' 0" by 
46' 6", the cost of which, including plates and bolts, but without 
pillars, was 107L ; and, if we add pillars and fixing, 4Z. 10s., 
we get a sum of 111Z. 10s., equal to 7s. 5d. per yard roofed over. 
This may be taken as a fair price for work, thoroughly well done, 
at that date ; but the rise in price of iron and labour since 
renders it very questionable if a roof equally good in material 
and workmanship could now be turned out at that price. 
Certainly it would not be done for less, and the price per 
yard, as per tender quoted, may be taken as a very moderate 
one. 
The following is a summary of the cost of roofing the yard by 
the modes hereinbefore described, and also the cost per yard of 
ground roofed over which each mode would entail : — 
Cost per ya-d 
1. Slate roof on Sir H. M. Thompson's principle of 
ventilation .... 
2. Tiled roof .... 
3. Open slated roof . 
4. Boarded roof .... 
6. Galvanised corrugated iron roof 
Total cost of ground 
roofed over. 
110 3 5 7 4 
96 10 0 6 5 
81 15 2 5 51 
51 16 4 3 5i 
110 18 0 7 4J 
It will be seen that the first cost of the board roof is much 
less, and the corrugated iron somewhat higher, than any other ; 
but the length of time each will last must be considered before 
conclusions can be drawn as to relative economy. Unfortunately, 
there is no roof of the former kind that has been long enough in 
existence to prove this. The age of Mr. Cundy's first roof is now 
about fourteen years, and as the boards show little or no sign of 
decay, I think I shall be justified in assuming that their period 
of usefulness will extend to at least twenty years, especially as 
they are only | inch thick, and those of the roof under con- 
sideration are f inch thick. 
The same uncertainty holds with regard to corrugated iron, 
and opinion varies very much as to the time it will endure, somo 
putting it at forty years, while others who have had experience 
say they have found it unserviceable shortly after twenty 
years. So much depends on the material and mode of construc- 
tion that cases might possibly be cited to prove the correctness 
of both statements. But as I quoted a price for iron of the 
strongest gauge I must also concede to it the longest term it is 
supposed usefully to exist. 
Still, even under these conditions it compares very unfavour- 
ably with board, as the following statement shows : — 
