188 
Farm-Buildings. 
sable  requisites  of  a modern  farm-yard  is  great  facility  of  com- 
munication, especially  between  the  buildings  just  named,  and 
a single  glance  at  the  prize,  or  the  commended,  plan,  will  show 
how  much  easier  of  access  buildings  are  when  placed  in  a paved 
or  macadamized  yard,  than  when  the  whole  interior  is  occupied 
as  a straw-yard.  Any  inhabitant  of  a town  who  had  frequent 
intercourse  with  his  opposite  neighbour  would  know  how  to  ap- 
preciate the  difference  between  crossing  a square  and  crossing  a 
street,  and  in  the  case  of  a farm -yard  there  is  the  additional  incon- 
venience of  crossing  the  midden. 
Another  point  of  importance  is,  that  the  straw-barn  should 
be  as  central  as  possible.  The  great  inconvenience  of  moving 
straw  to  any  distance,  especially  on  a windy  day,  is  so  well 
known,  that  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  offer  any  proof  under  this 
head.  In  all  the  plans  now  published  the  barn  is  tolerably  well 
placed  : the  Prize  Essay,  however,  and  Mr.  Hudson’s,  carry  it  a 
step  further  than  the  rest,  and  place  the  straw-barn,  where 
assuredly  it  ought  to  be,  in  the  very  centre  of  all  the  stock. 
These  main  points  having  been  provided  for,  the  next  feature  of 
importance  is,  that  the  buildings  should  be  conveniently  grouped 
together.  An  excellent  specimen  of  convenient  arrangement  is  seen 
in  the  prize-plan,  where  the  stable  will  be  found  surrounded  by 
everything  pertaining  to  the  food  or  the  work  of  the  horses.  At 
one  end  is  the  straw-barn  and  the  steaming-house;  at  one  side  is 
the  blacksmith’s  shop,  while  the  sheds  for  large  and  small  imple- 
ments are  immediately  adjoining,  so  that  whatever  the  work  may 
be  for  which  the  horse  is  taken  out  of  the  stable,  the  cart,  the 
plough,  or  the  drill  is  on  the  spot,  and  if  an  implement  requires 
repair,  both  carpenter  and  smith  are  close  at  hand.  It  would  pro- 
bably be  better  that  the  small  implement-shed  should  be  made  to 
change  places  with  the  smith’s  and  carpenter’s  shops,  so  that  the 
forge  should  be  further  from  the  stackyard  ; with  this  trifling 
alteration  the  arrangement  of  this  yard  is  very  complete;  and  the 
office  for  the  farmer  at  the  entrance-gate  ought  not  to  be  passed 
over  in  silence,  as  it  would  obviate  the  necessity  of  many  an 
adjournment  to  the  house,  and  many  a handing  down  and  dusting 
of  “ master’s  desk,”  besides  saving  much  valuable  time  that  is  lost 
in  hunting  for  bills  and  other  papers  that  are  seldom  forthcoming 
when  wanted. 
In  the  few  prefatory  remarks  with  which  this  letter  com- 
menced, it  was  stated  that  capability  of  adaptation  to  different 
systems  of  farming  was  essentially  requisite  in  a prize  plan. 
It  will  be  necessary  now  to  show  how  far  the  one  which  has 
received  the  prize  fulfils  this  condition.  Commencing  with  the 
barn,  it  has  been  already  shown  that  the  straw-barn  is  in  its  right 
place:  if  a corn- barn  were  required  the  building  would  have  to  be 
