On  the  Construction  of  Farm- Buildings. 
219 
very  objectionable,  arising1,  in  most  instances,  from  want  of  sim- 
plicity in  arrangement.  Farm-buildings  have  been  recommended 
to  be  arranged  in  the  form  of  a circle,  or  regular  polygon  of  more 
than  four  sides  ; but  no  other  than  a rectangular  arrangement 
can  ever  be  applied  to  a farmery  with  advantage.  In  any  build- 
ing having  oblique  angles  there  must  always  be  loss  of  space, 
besides  which,  oblique  angles  are  always  attended  with  incon- 
venience of  shape. 
It  is  of  the  very  greatest  importance  in  designing  a farmery 
that  the  principal  buildings  should  be  so  arranged  that,  in  the 
event  of  any  future  alteration  in  the  size  or  mode  of  cultivation 
of  the  farm,  an  adaptation  of  any  of  the  buildings  to  suit  change 
of  circumstances  may  be  effected  without  derangement  of  the 
plan,  or  impairing  the  usefulness  of  any  other  building  as  to  its 
relative  position,  if  its  purpose  be  not  changed  by  the  alteration. 
Oversight  of  such  provision  in  planning  a set  of  farm-offices  has 
frequently  occasioned  much  future  expense,  and  is  very  often  the 
principal  cause  of  the  inconvenience  of  arrangement  so  commonly 
to  be  observed  where  alterations  (especially  extensions)  of  farm- 
buildings  have  taken  place. 
To  prescribe  a rule  by  which  the  arrangement  of  farm-build- 
ings will  be  applicable  to  all  cases  with  equal  advantage  is  impos- 
sible; as  peculiarity  of  the  form  of  the  surface  of  the  site — 
opportunity  of  applying  a stream  of  water  as  the  motive  power 
of  machinery* — and  many  other  incidents  may  render  a special 
modification  of  a plan  necessary  to  obtain  complete  convenience, 
which,  under  circumstances  not  requiring  special  provision,  might 
be  in  every  respect  the  very  best  that  could  be  devised.  As  a 
general  rule,  subject,  however,  to  exceptions  from  a variety  of 
circumstances,  for  good  arrangement  of  farm-buildings  the  barn 
and  its  appendant  conveniences  should  occupy  and  form  a side  of 
a rectangular  court ; the  stables,  sheds,  and  cattle-lairs  should 
form  the  adjacent  sides;  whilst  the  dwelling-house,  dairy,  and 
domestic  offices  should  occupy  the  fourth  or  opposite  side  of  the 
rectangle.  The  interior  of  the  rectangle  should  have  an  uninter- 
cepted exposure  to  the  sun’s  rays  at  noon. 
The  foregoing  observations,  relating  to  the  principal  considera- 
tions in  designing  farm-offices,  will  be  perhaps  best  elucidated  by 
reference  to  a general  plan : with  which  view,  Plate  I.  is  sub- 
mitted as  the  ground-plan  of  a set  of  offices  intended  for  a site 
* Although  the  application  of  water  by  means  of  a water-wheel  is  unquestionably 
the  cheapest,  the  steadiest,  and  in  every  point  of  view  the  best  motive  power  for  ma- 
chinery, yet  it  very  rarely  happens  that  the  situation  where  water-power  can  be  used 
possesses  other  circumstances  of  advantage  as  to  constitute  it  a desirable  site  for  a 
homestead.  Wherever  fuel  can  be  obtained  at  a moderate  price  a steam-engine  in  the 
farmery  will  completely  supersede  the  necessity  of  the  sacrifice  of  any  important 
advantage  for  the  sake  of  that  of  water-power  to  give  motion  to  the  machinery. 
