1864.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
73 
Pennsylvania “ Double Decked ” Barn. 
The bariis in different sections of the country 
vary in many points, and could plans of what 
in each section are considered models of ex¬ 
cellence be presented, it would be very in¬ 
structive. We anticipate 
being able to publish sev¬ 
eral good plans from distant 
localities, and this month 
give one from Chester Co., 
Pennsylvania, furnished by 
Alfred D. Sharpies, who 
writes thus: “ I have been 
eating the good fruit of 
your table for the last seven 
years, and it occurred to me 
quite recently that I ought 
to help: replenish in equal 
ratio. I send a design for i 
what Pennsylvanians call a i 
“ Double Decked Barn.” It 
is built on a hill-side, to 
face north or east. This 
one, suitable for a farm of 
100 to 150 acres (according 
to capacity of the soil,) is 
64x60 feet; ceilings of the 
lower stories 10 feethigh; 3rd floor 16 ft. to the 
eaves. I believe this building combines the ad¬ 
vantages of all the tumble-down concerns usual¬ 
ly found on a farm, in as neat and compact a 
form as they can be placed, The cost will be 
influenced by local circumstances. With us the 
expense would be from $2000 to $2500, when 
hands Can be found, but a figure higher now.” 
Friend Sharpies does not mention to what use 
he puts the space under the com cribs, entered 
from the middle floor. So we will call it a fruit 
room, with an ice-house in the rear of it—that 
is, under the slope, or “ ’prortch” as it is some¬ 
times called. The ventilators, used also as hay 
shutes, appear to discharge into the peak of the 
roof. This is undesirable and one or two out¬ 
side ventilators, like the one represented, (fig. 5,) 
near to which the ventilating trunks should 
rise, would make the ventilation more effective, 
and the breath, and exhalations of the stock 
would not be condensed upon the hay in the loft. 
side hill whereon to place the barn — the 
middle floor might be entirely omitted, some of 
the cattle stalls put in the shed, closed in, and 
thus space made for the grain bins, tools, etc., 
on the ground floor. The amount of corn rais¬ 
ed upon different farms varies so much that in 
many cases such provision as is here made 
would not be adequate. The loft above the 
shed, or an independent corn-crib, would be 
necessary. Hog pens ax - e perhaps kept away 
from the barns in Chester county. This is not 
a bad plan in some respects, for where most 
economically raised and fattened, swine should 
have cooked food, and a fire close to a wooden 
barn is undesirable. Still at the end of a 60-foot 
h a boiling house with hog pens adjacent would 
be conveniently near, and yet distant enough to 
avoid danger from sparks' if coal fuel is used. 
It will be noticed that, according to the draw¬ 
ing, the threshing floor is nearly 18 feet wide. 
(We have followed the plan closely in the en¬ 
graving). This is much wider than is generally 
considered necessaiy ; 15 feet is wide enough, 
This width of the floor would admit of larger 
hay and straw bays, of larger corn-bins, and 
besides, of the great convenience of sliding doors. 
Sliding doors about a barn, particularly great 
doors arranged on top rollers, are among the 
greatest improvements of modern farm archi¬ 
tecture. In high winds swinging doors are 
really very dangerous—and in such a position 
as the plan presents, the great doors are parti¬ 
cularly exposed and might easily cause fatal 
accidents.—Sheep raisers will look in vain for a 
place for their favorites. The sheep'- quarters 
might be provided in sheds, extended more or 
less, according to the size of the flock—or a re- 
arrangment, to a certain extent, of the ground 
floor might be made for their accomodation. 
* -- 
Seeding down with Spring Grain. 
Grass stands a dry summer better when sown 
in autumn than in spring. Still this cannot al¬ 
ways be done, and we must sow grass seed at 
this season. If sown alone on spring plowed 
land, the soil should be well mellowed and a 
great abundance of seed put on. Farmers 
seldom use enough seed. After sowing, light 
soils should be rolled, and heavy ones either 
bushed or let alone altogether. If sown with 
spring grains, there should also be a liberal 
quantity of seed used. The varieties must of 
course depend upon the land and the demands 
of the farm. For permanent meadow, the 
greater the number of kinds, the better. The 
grass seed should be sown after the grain is 
covered, and left upon the surface to be washed 
in by the rains. A light dressing of gypsum and 
wood-ashes is very beneficial after the grain 
is well up and covers the ground somewhat. 
-- -- »«■>--- 
Clover Sown on Winter Grain. 
When the frost is fairly out of the ground and 
the soil is -left light and porous, the seed of 
clover may be sown. If a light fall of snow can 
be taken advantage of, this is best, for the seed 
may be seen, and the uniformity of the cast 
regulated. A few days after sowing, roll dry 
soil—that is after the snow is off, and of course 
when no frost remains and when cattle can go. 
upon the ground. It both benefits the grain 
and covers the seed. Sixteen pounds of seed to. 
the acre is not too much on a good clayey loam.. 
