563 
On  the  Cost  of  Agricultural  Buildings. 
may  be  employed  to  extinguish  it  by  attaching  hose,  as  it  will 
throw  water  over  all  the  buildings,  and  this  for  two  or  three 
days  without  cessation,  should  the  supply  in  the  well  not  fail. 
The  machine  threshes  and  perfectly  dresses  every  description 
of  grain,  occupies  but  little  space,  and  is  not  costly. 
The  buildings  are  substantially  erected  with  stone  quarried  on 
the  estate,  and  with  foreign  timber  of  excellent  quality.  They 
are  all  slated  with  Welsh  slates,  the  slates  covering  the  roofs  of 
the  cattle-sheds  being  laid  in  such  a manner  that  the  buildings 
are  all  well  ventilated,  and  the  heat  generally  occasioned  by  the 
use  of  slate  for  the  covering  of  buildings  avoided. 
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The  cost  of  erecting  the  whole  of  the  buildings,  including  the 
house,  together  with  the  fittings  of  the  mangers,  racks,  and 
troughs,  in  the  various  sheds ; also  the  fittings  of  the  house, 
dairy.  See. ; that  of  erecting  the  steam-engine,  threshing-machine, 
and  all  other  machinery ; the  apparatus  for  supplying  warm  and 
cold  water  to  the  several  buildings  ; painting  the  house  both 
internally  and  externally,  also  the  exterior  of  the  several  build- 
ings comprising  the  steading,  is,  exclusive  of  stone,  which  was 
found  by  the  proprietor,  but  quarried  and  carted  by  and  at  the 
expense  of  the  contractors,  about  2900/. 
In  looking  at  this  amount,  it  should  be  remembered  that  the 
fittings  are  extensive  and  the  accommodation  also.  The  appli- 
cation of  steam-power  and  machinery  is  greater  than  has  hitherto 
been  adopted  in  farm  buildings  of  a similar  extent.  The  eco- 
nomy of  feeding  and  housing  live  stock  has  been  more  cared  for 
than  is  generally  the  case.  The  facility  for  housing  corn  is 
greater  than  I have  ever  heard  of,  and  the  saving  in  the  item 
of  thatching  only,  is  a considerable  one,  independently  of  the 
advantages  arising  from  the  use  of  such  sheds,  as  previously 
explained. 
The  steading  is  the  manufactory  of  the  farmer,  and,  like  all 
other  manufacturing  premises,  should  be  so  arranged  as  to 
ensure  facility  in  performing  the  various  operations  and  for 
economising  labour,  which  latter  is  a very  formidable  item 
in  farming  accounts.  In  addition  to  these  desiderata,  it  is  of 
primary  importance  that  suitable  aspects  be  given  to  the  several 
sheds,  and  that  the  live  stock  be  properly  housed  and  taken  care 
of,  so  that  they  constantly  accumulate  flesh.  Where  they  are 
not  so  cared  for,  the  profit  arising  from  fatting  them  is  consider- 
ably lessened,  and  sometimes  losses  are  sustained,  instead  of  profit 
being  gained. 
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Having  described  the  plan  and  character  of  the  buildings 
erected  at  Lymm,  I will  now  endeavour  to  assist  you  in  ascer- 
taining whether  the  sums  charged  by  builders  for  erecting  new 
or  for  repairing  old  buildings  be  proper  ones  or  not.  The 
