Plans of Farm Buildings. 
253 
Points attended to in designing the buildings. — The whole of the buildings 
have been designed to meet the requirements of the Model By-laws of the 
Local Government Board applicable to such buildings, and the following points 
have had special attention, viz : — 
1. Economy in planning, and in cost of construction and subsequent 
maintenance. 
These objects have been attained by compact arrangement, avoidance of 
waste spaces, omission of superfluous compartments and of ornamentation of 
any kind, &c., combined with simplicity of construction giving a maximum of 
strength with a minimum of material, involving very small cost of up-keep, 
probably less than 10Z. per annum, being sufficient to keep the whole in repair 
and painting for fifty years, and probably less than 15Z. per annum for the 
second fifty years — which estimates have been arrived at by the aid of nearly 
half a century’s experience in designing and superintending erections and 
restorations of homesteads of all classes and in the management of landed 
property. 
We have found throughout a long experience that even the wealthiest 
owners are averse to spending a penny more than is absolutely necessary for 
the proper working of the farm, and we have in this design adhered strictly to 
this principle, believing that more luxurious designs are useless except on 
paper. 
The Specification gives in detail the nature of construction and materials, 
therefore nothing further need be said here except that the covered yard roofs 
are constructed entirely of creosoted wood in the most efficient and economical 
manner and to last at least thirty to thirty-five years without necessitating an 
outlay of one penny during that period, and afterwards only on the board 
covering, since the remainder of the roofs would last sixty to seventy years 
without the slightest need for renewals. 
2. Convenience of arrangement for working. 
The greater part of the labour done about the buildings may be classed 
under three heads: (i.) Feeding the live stock! ; (ii.) Distributing litter and 
cleaning out dung ; (iii.) Milking. 
The buildings have been designed to secure the greatest economy and 
convenience in performing these three principal classes of labour and the same 
prominence has been accorded to the question of economical working as would 
be done in an up-to-date textile factory. 
Feeding arrangements. — (1) A commodious mixing room, sufficient for all 
food to be mixed several hours before being fed to the live stock, is provided in 
a central position, with chaff bins, cake and corn bins, root store and pulper all 
close at hand and easily accessible. 
From this centre, food is distributed along gangways at the front of the 
cattle to over 120 head within twenty paces of the food house. 
The chaff, roots, &c., would be conveyed on a low four-wheeled trolley with 
light but deep sides holding sufficient for six to eight cattle. The hay would be 
carried in trusses on a flat-bottomed trolley. 
The average distance travelled to feed the 120 head of cattle is 8 yards per 
head, whereas if the gangways with mangers on either side were placed in a 
continuous line the average would be 48 yards per head. Considering the 
enormous number of times these gangways have to be traversed during seven to 
eight months of the year, it will at once be apparent how great is the economy 
in working effected by the concentration of the parts adopted in these plans. 
Ample corn, cake, hay and straw stores are at hand on the first floor, and 
hay for cattle would be stored on the ground floor in the recess at the end of 
the mixing room. 
The boiling house for preparing food for the pigs and calves is placed in a 
convenient position for both, and contains a 40-gallon copper, food bins, and 
would have a water supply laid on. 
