294  On  the  Construction  of  Farm- Buildings. 
point  out  what  description  of  materials  are  to  be  used,  whether 
brick  or  stone.  It  does  not  often  happen  that  both  can  be  had  at  the 
same  expense, but  rather  on  the  contrary  : when  bricks  are  plentiful, 
stone  is  scarce,  and  vice  versa.  The  whole  of  the  woodwork  to  be 
of  the  best  Memel,  excepting  for  granary  flooring  and  boarding 
for  stable,  stalls,  and  beast  stalls  ; the  former  to  be  of  red  pine, 
and  the  latter  English  larch.  As  to  the  covering  of  the  different 
buildings,  I consider  the  Welsh  slate  to  be  a good  cover,  and  to 
be  had  at  a reasonable  cost.  In  the  drawings  attached  I have 
taken  the  two  centre  range  of  buildings  to  be  covered  with  tiles ; 
this  of  course  is  quite  a matter  of  taste,  and  quite  optional.  The 
widths  and  heights  given  to  the  several  buildings  in  the  drawings 
are  the  same  as  what  has  been  generally  given  to  buildings  of 
like  character  with  which  I have  had  to  do,  excepting  for  barn 
and  double-stalled  beast  house . As  to  the  latter,  the  cause  of 
the  extra  width,  and  for  what  purpose,  will  be  fully  understood 
from  what  has  been  before  said  ; and  as  to  the  former,  the  extra 
width  given  to  the  barn  will  be  found  very  useful  and  convenient 
not  only  for  holding  a larger  quantity  of  unthreslied  corn,  but  also 
a larger  quantity  of  straw.  I may  observe  that  I never  heard  a 
farmer  complain  of  his  barn  being  too  wide,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
very  frequently  of  its  being  too  narrow.  There  are  two  or 
three  other  minor  points  with  respect  to  the  construction  I will 
point  out,  and  the  first  is  the  ventilation  of  the  cart-horse  stables 
and  beast-houses.  The  old  system  of  having  openings  just  behind 
the  horses  or  beasts  I consider  defective  and  objectionable,  as 
far  as  the  perfect  ventilation  of  the  building  is  considered,  for 
these  separate  reasons : the  effluvia  and  impure  air  arising 
from  the  cattle  ascending  by  their  lightness  to  the  top  of  the 
building,  there  they  remain,  and  are  unable  to  make  their  escape, 
it  being  impossible  to  get  to  the  openings  provided,  for  there  the 
cold  air  is  rushing  in.  The  other  reason  is,  that  the  current 
of  cold  air,  according  to  the  old  mode,  is  directed  right  over  the 
backs  of  the  animals,  and  is  thus  liable  to  give  them  cold. 
The  plan  1 advocate  is  a ventilator  (or  what  is  commonly  called 
louver  boarding)  to  be  put  at  the  top  of  roof  and  doing  away  with 
the  openings.  This  mode  will  allow  free  egress  to  the  impure  air, 
as  well  as  do  away  with  all  draughts,  while  at  the  same  time  there 
will  be  sufficient  air  admitted  from  the  doors  and  windows  for  the 
perfect  ventilation  of  the  building.  Another  point  is  the  pre- 
venting of  the  effluvia  from  rising  from  the  urine-drains.  Instead 
of  the  ordinary  perforated  grate  for  the  stables  and  beast-houses, 
I should  advise  the  placing  of  a small  stench  trap  which  effectu- 
ally prevents  its  rising,  and  in  the  placing  of  same  for  the  better 
prevention  of  the  drains  from  stopping  up,  is  to  put  them  in  a side 
channel  as  shown  on  ground  plan  : for  on  sweeping  out  the  dung, 
