On  the  Construction  of  Farm- Buildings. 
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buildings  ; also,  the  accommodation  is  scanty  compared  with  what 
is  really  requisite  in  these  times  of  improved  husbandry ; and,  in 
examining  the  additions  which  have  been  made  within  the  last 
twenty  years,  there  seems  to  have  been  no  well  considered  or  pre- 
arranged plan,  but  merely  added  to  at  the  most  vacant  spot  of 
ground,  without  any  regard  being  paid  to  the  convenient  arrange- 
ment of  the  whole  buildings.  Of  course  there  are  some  lew 
exceptions  ; and  on  an  estate  of  the  Duke  of  Northumberland's  at 
Stanwick,  I may  mention  that  the  greater  part  of  the  farmsteads 
have  been,  within  the  last  ten  years,  altogether  remodelled  and 
rebuilt  on  the  most  improved  principles  ; and  there  is  another 
estate  in  the  same  neighbourhood  where  the  same  desirable  object 
has  been  carried  out ; but  such  advances  in  the  improvement  of 
the  farm-buildings  of  the  kingdom  are  rarely  to  be  met  with. 
In  taking:,  therefore,  into  consideration  the  situation  and  arrange- 
ment  of  a full  set  of  farm-buildings  suitable  for  a farm  of  the  extent 
of  from  250  to  300  acres,  I may  observe  that  the  quantity  of  build- 
ings which  a practical  farmer  requires  differs  in  a slight  degree  as 
to  the  quantity  of  them,  according  to  the  character  of  the  soil  of  the 
farm  which  he  may  occupy,  which  may,  for  instance,  be  a light 
sandy  soil,  and  require  the  bulk  of  the  turnip  crop  to  be  eaten 
on  the  land  by  sheep.  In  this  respect  then  the  extent  of  beast- 
houses  will  be  diminished,  while  the  rest  of  the  necessary  conve- 
nience remains  the  same  when  the  acreage  is  equal. 
I will  now  consider,  in  the  first  place,  the  selecting  of  the  most 
advantageous  situation.  The  first  impression  which  strikes  one, 
in  fixing  upon  the  situation  for  the  erecting  of  a farmstead,  would 
be  to  place  the  same  near  about  the  centre  of  the  cultivated 
grounds,  as  the  cereal  crops,  having  for  the  most  part  to  be  taken 
to  the  farmstead  and  consumed  by  the  cattle,  would  again  have 
to  be  returned  to  the  fields  in  the  shape  of  manure,  the  advantages 
in  the  saving  of  labour  would  be  very  great  in  thus  placing  the 
same  near  the  centre  of  the  cultivated  grounds.  But  there  are 
other  considerations  of  a primary  importance  which  ought  not  to 
be  overlooked ; and  the  first  is,  is  there  a sufficient  command  of 
water  in  any  part  of  the  farm,  not  only  for  the  use  of  the  live  stock 
as  well  as  for  household  purposes,  but  can  it  be  obtained  in  suffi- 
cient quantity  to  be  used  as  a power?  If  it  can,  then  it  is  of  the 
utmost  consequence  that  the  same  be  secured  : for  I am  of  opinion 
that  on  a farm  of  the  extent  under  consideration,  if  water  power 
cannot  be  obtained,  a steam-engine  is  requisite;  for,  in  the  fust 
place,  the  threshing  with  horses  is  very  hard  work,  and  no  work 
of  any  kind  seems  so  much  to  distress  them ; further,  you  cannot 
conveniently  obtain  that  necessary  power  which  you  really  require 
with  horses,  for  you  ought  to  have,  in  connexion  with  your  corn- 
threshing machine,  a chaff-cutter  and  a pair  of  stones  to  grind 
VOL.  XI.  IT 
