Farm Buildings. 
475 
designed especially to cany out, the principles laid down, ■vvhicli, 
he observed, were but the legitimate deductions from the views 
advocated in those plans and essays submitted by himself and Mr. 
Spooncr, for the National Competition for Farm Buildings, in 1849, 
which the Council selected as the first of the " Commended designs," 
and directed to be inserted in the Journal of 1850. On that occa- 
sion Mr. Blundell aided with his valuable advice ; and, in the present 
instance, the plans are the joint work of himself and Mr. Blundell. 
It would be obsei'ved on reference to the plans that the whole 
accommodation is contained in one block of buildings ; the cattle- 
lodgings or boxes being all 12 feet square, with feeding-passages 
between each double line. Although the buildings are thus brought 
into one block, the necessity for massive roofs and lead gutters is 
obviated by keeping the roofs of the feeding-passages lower than 
those over the b(jxes, and attaching common iron eaves-gutters to 
each set of roofs : thus no roof is required of more than 24 feet 
span. The external walls are of brick, and the continuous pits in 
the lines of the cattle-lodgings are divided off into boxes by move- 
able iron hurdles suited to different kinds of stock, or hj battens, 
where the first expense is more thought of than durability. The 
two sets of sections show two modes of construction — one with 
roofs formed of timber and slate, the other of galvanised corrugated 
iron. In the latter case the buildings would be fire-proof, and the 
cost little more than that of a common roof, the span being so 
small. In either mode of construction the use of lead gutters is 
dispensed with. The engine is so placed as to give the most direct 
action to all the machineiy it may have to work. The aiTangements 
give great facility for supplying and inspecting the stock, removing 
and storing the manure ; and the mode of constructing and arranging 
the fittings of the boxes affords everj^ facility for such change of 
use as the varying conditions of the farm might require. The whole 
building is but a repetition of simple parts and of small scantlings, 
which unskilled worlanen could put together without difficulty. 
A cheap pavement or bottom for the boxes and feeding-passages is 
of moment ; and no plan can answer better than a concrete of tar 
and gravel. The gravel should first be put in heaps, with sufficient 
tar and fuel to light it ; and when tlie mass is thoroughly heated, 
the tar for mixing should be poiued in, and the whole spread while 
hot about 4 inches thick. This method had been extensively used 
for the footways at Southsea, and answered its purpose admirably. 
Over this bottom, so prepared, should be placed the layer of earth, 
about 12 inches thick, the key to the success of the box-system of 
feeding. 
Mr. Bi,UNDELL said that the question of improving farm buildings 
had long occupied his thoughts, and the plans now presented were 
the result of considering it in conjunction with his friend Mr. 
Elliot. That gentleman had explained the architectural value of 
the plans ; and he now pledged himself as an agriculturist that 
they were well adapted to the purposes for which they were 
intended. The feeling in favour of the covered yards was now 
