Plans of Farm Buildings. 
251 
The house suggested is thought what would be necessary for a good class of 
tenant on a farm of this size. The dairy is outside, and the accommodation 
here is only suggestive, as much depends upon what the farmer will do with his 
milk. 
ESTIMATE. 
The cost of the buildings depends considerably upon local cir- 
cumstances. Similar buildings finished in a substantial manner 
have been erected under recent contracts at 2\d. per cubic foot. On 
this basis the buildings here illustrated would cost .... £3,000 
“USUS”— Third Prize. 
REPORT 
On design for a homestead for a mixed farm of 375 acres. ‘principally for the pro- 
duction of milli, and raising heifers to replace draft cows at about fourth calf. 
Working Basis. — The situation of a farm for production of milk for sale must 
to some extent influence the accommodation to be provided for live stock. 
If the farm is situated in a belt surrounding one of the large centres of 
population, such as Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leicester, 
Birmingham, and many others, it would probably be the most profitable to keep 
the largest herd of dairy cattle, raising no young stock, but selling all calves at 
the drop. 
On the other hand, if the farm is situated within say two and a half miles 
of a railway station, and twenty to fifty miles from a centre of population, it 
would probably be the most profitable to raise sufficient heifers every year to 
replace draft cows at about fourth calf, and for a basis upon which to work 
we have adopted the latter circumstances, and have also borne in mind that a 
homestead in these circumstances, far from being merely a collection of build- 
ings for housing animals, is mainly a winter factory in which concentrated 
food for man is extracted (principally by live stock) from a considerable 
proportion of the crops of the farm, the sole object being the production of the 
greatest value in the extract (in this case milk) at the least possible cost, 
combined with the complete and economical preservation of the by-products 
— dung and urine — which contain about 90 per cent, of the original valuable 
constituents of the crops consumed. 
Size of the Farm. — The farm is assumed to be 375 acres in extent, com- 
prising 185 acres of grass, and 185 acres of arable (good turnip and barley 
land), the remaining 5 acres being absorbed by the site of the house, buildings, 
garden, orchard, rickyard, and roads. 
System of Farming. — The farm is supposed to be situate within two miles 
of a railway station from which there is a convenient and quick service of 
trains to a large centre of population (say 300,000) within a distance of fifty 
miles, where there is a regular demand for milk at a good price. 
It is proposed to make milk for sale the principal product of the farm, 
supplemented by sales of calving cows at about fourth calf (raising sufficient 
heifers each year, in number equal to one-third of the milking herd, to replace 
draft cows), breeding and feeding a quantity of pigs, and fattening off a 
number of wethers on a portion of the root crop on the land in all but the 
scantiest seasons. 
Situation of Homestead. — The homestead is to be placed on a private road 
running east and west through the farm. The site is assumed to be almost 
level, having a slight fall to the south east, and it is also assumed that a good 
supply of water for all purposes would be secured within 30 ft. of the surface. 
