On  the  Construction  of  Farm-Buildings.  295 
the  same  would  not  be  drawn  over  grate,  thus  preventing  any 
from  getting  in,  while  the  urine  would  run  down  those  side  chan- 
nels  into  the  grate.  Another  precaution  would  be  the  sinking  of 
a cesspool  under  each  grate  for  the  urine  to  drop  into,  where  any 
sediment  would  be  left,  the  same  being  very  easily  cleaned  out  by 
removing  grate.  These  precautions,  if  properly  attended  to,  would 
entirely  do  away  with  the  inconvenience  which  is  so  frequently 
experienced  by  the  drains  stopping  up. 
I have,  therefore,  gone  carefully  over  the  selection  of  a situation, 
the  arrangement  and  character  of  the  construction  of  a full  set  of 
farm  buildings,  but  at  the  same  time  perhaps  it  may  be  thought 
by  some  that,  the  buildings  are  too  extensive  for  a farm  of  the 
extent  under  consideration,  but  I consider  that,  with  the  exception 
of  beast-houses  and  beast-sheds,  the  other  conveniences  are  no 
more  than  what  are  at  present  generally  attached  to  farms  of  the 
extent.  Now  a few  words  in  conclusion,  on  the  justification  of 
so  large  a proportion  of  beast-houses  and  beast-sheds. 
The  necessity  of  increasing  the  productive  powers  of  the  soil  by 
the  application  of  the  very  richest  manures  is  forcing  itself  more 
and  more  every  day  upon  the  attention  of  the  practical  farmer,  so 
that  he  may  be  able  to  bear  the  increased  burdens  of  taxation,  as 
well  as  in  some  measure  to  Ire  able  to  compete  with  the  foreign 
corn  brought  to  this  market.  In  order  therefore  to  effect  this 
point,  it  is  necessary  that,  in  addition  to  the  regular  consumption 
of  the  straw  and  other  fodder,  there  be  used  some  richer  artificial 
substance  to  mix  with  same,  to  improve  its  fertilising  qualities. 
The  most  improved  mode  is  the  feeding  of  cattle  in  houses  by  the 
use  of  prepared  food  (linseed  boiled,  mixed  with  meal  and  chaff), 
in  conjunction  with  turnips,  the  merits  of  which  system  have  been 
ably  set  forth  in  a Number  of  the  Yorkshire  Agricultural  Society’s 
Journal  by  Mr.  Marshall.  Now,  although  I am  not  prepared  to 
assert  that  at  all  times  the  beasts  themselves  will  leave  a profit 
by  this  mode  of  feeding,  yet  I can  affirm  that  they  will  at  all  times 
pay  for  the  expense  attending  such  method.  The  expenses  then 
being  returned,  I consider  the  enriched  condition  of  the  manure 
will  be  a source  of  ample  profit,  as  it  can  be  testified  to  the  fact  by 
many  farmers,  that  the  effects  upon  the  produce  have  been  asto- 
nishing by  a dressing  of  this  improved  manure ; therefore  it 
becomes  a matter  of  apparent  importance  that  a farmer  should 
have  the  necessary  buildings  attached  suitable  to  this  mode  of 
feeding  ; and  I think  that  a farmer  farming  300  acres,  which,  say, 
is  two-thirds  in  tillage,  ought  to  feed  in  houses  sixty  head  of 
cattle,  so  that  his  manure  may  be  of  such  a quality  as  to  be  able 
to  enrich  so  large  a breadth  of  tillage.  This  subject,  when  well 
considered  over,  will,  I think,  convince  every  unprejudiced  person 
