152 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
sistance, he lias it. By this means he becomes acquainted with the ap¬ 
petite and health of each animal, a matter altogether important. If 
they be out of health, or need extra nursing or attention, he knows it 
and provides for them. A change of food is occasionally given, and by 
this operation all is relished and eaten perfectly clean. We now feed 
about 40 yoke of oxen, 8 or 10 horses, a dozen cows, some sheep and 
young stock, all in this manner, though not all in one building, without 
any waste at all. Every thing is saved. Every animal is tied up in its 
place excepting the sheep, and each has its own portion without fear or 
molestation. I well know that they consume less food per head by 
thirty per cent than they did during the last winter, when they were fed 
nearly, if not quite equal to, the ordinary method practised throughout 
the country. Our oxen I am satisfied perform more labor, the cows yield 
more milk, and all the animals consume less food by being thus housed 
and attended. But to the plan of the barn. It is here given. 
Ground Plan. 
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1—r 
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~i —r 
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Explanation. 
a. Barn floor, 14 feet 
wide. 
b. b. Bays for hay and 
grain, 18 feet wide and 92 
feet long. 
c. c. Stables for cattle 
and horses, 13 feet wide 
in the clear. 
d. d. Passages to sta¬ 
bles, 4 feet wide. 
e. e. Mangers for feed¬ 
ing, 2\ feet wide. 
f. f. Great doors, 14 
feet wide. 
g. g. Stable doors, 5 
feet wide, double. 
Length of barn, 100 
feet. 
Width of barn, 50 feet. 
Posts of do. 18 do. 
Pitch of roof, 12| do. 
Height of leanto posts, 
7 feet. 
Pitch of stable roof, 8 
feet. 
y 
-j Length of side leantos, 
100 feet. 
Length of end leantos, 
38 feet. 
Upright—End View. 
The barn is framed as if to stand alone, omitting the lower girt at 
the ends on each side of the large doors. The leantos are then framed 
on to the barn in the simplest manner—the passage being round the 
main, body of the barn, excepting at the ends, where the passage is in 
the main barn, and the leantos there only 16 feet wide, and the manger 
is fitted up to the main barn. Only one passage is made to go into the 
short stables at the ends. Stalls are made 7£ feet wide and boarded 
between, and each ox or cow is tied next to the partition side of the 
stall, which prevents their getting together, and saves much room 
The doors are sufficiently wide to drive in a pair of oxen yoked, and 
large spikes are driven in the plates all round the stables to hang har¬ 
ness, yokes and chains upon. 
The bottoms of the mangers are raised ten inches from the floor, and 
laid double. The sides of the stable are also battened with thin boards 
inside, which makes them perfectly tight and warm; windows, with 
sliding shutters are made in ihe sides, to throw out the manure. 
Girts run parallel with the main floor in the posts, across which arc 
laid poles, nine feet above the floor, on which hay or grain can be piled 
up to the peak. 
This barn will hold 200 tons of hay and 46 yoke of oxen, or 100 cows 
or horses. If only ordinary stock is kept, the long leantos need be on¬ 
ly 18 feet wide, and the short ones 14 feet. Granaries can be partition¬ 
ed off from the bays or stables as may be convenient. If a thrashing 
machine is used, a part of the stable can accommodate it. Its whole 
expense, finished complete, is about $1,500. 
On this model, barns of any size may be built, and I am well satis¬ 
fied that, according to the room required, it is altogether the cheapest 
in cost and simplest in construction of any plan I have seen. If a less 
proportion of stable room be needed, it may be omitted where conve¬ 
nient. 
The passages round the ends of the bays and in front of the mangers, 
are for feeding the cattle, every thing being put in front of them. The 
passages are wide enough to carry hay, and when the bay is partially 
led out, the hay may be thrown directly into the passages. 
I would on no account, store hay or other material over the cattle, 
under the stable roofs, although there is considerable room, as I am 
satisfied from experience, that there is none too much space left for 
ventilation. 
The floors are lined with thin refuse boards, excepting a part of the 
stables, it being my wish that nothing be lost. 
This barn is placed on level ground, having no side hill convenient on 
which to place it. I would prefer, if possible, a sloping piece of 
ground, and make an ample cellar beneath it, to receive the manure, 
preserve roots, &c. &c. It will add to the expenses of building, but 
greatly to the convenience and economy of the farm. 
This, it is true, is on a larger scale than is needed for an ordinary 
farm; yet many farms require as much and a larger quantity of barn 
room. If every thing be saved and housed that can be profitably ex¬ 
pended in the feeding of stock, much more shelter is required than is 
supposed. If the farm be small, the size of the barn should be gradu¬ 
ated to its wants. This plan has been closely examined by many farm¬ 
ers of great experience, and pronounced to be the best they have seen. 
The utmost possible economy of room is made for packing the hay and 
crain, and the stables are mere leantos, made of light frame, attached 
to the sides and ends of the main building. If wood covering for either 
the sides or roof of boards and shingles are not to be obtained, they 
may be made of thatch. The bodies of the building may even be laid 
up of logs and covered with slabs, so that they be well chinked and 
comfortable. It is true that there is some waste room over the cattle 
in the stables, but no more than is wanted for ventilation and to pass 
olf the respired air, which is deleterious to their health. The letting 
in of fresh air in cold and stormy weather, through the sides of the 
building, gives them colds and diseases, to which they are as liable as 
the human family. But even if only sheds are wanted, I am satisfied 
that they are better to be attached to the sides of the barn in the way 
these stables are, than in any other, being more convenient, and allow¬ 
ing the stock to be fed in them with greater economy. The stables at¬ 
tached to this barn being for the accommodation of working cattle 
mostly, are wider than need be for an ordinary stock, and may be 
made narrower. But amongst all other plans, I have found none which 
combine the requisites of cheapness, economy of feeding, and storage 
like this. It has withal an appearance of snugness and comfort about 
it that greatly embellishes the farm. 
If sheds are wanted in addition, they can be attached to the stables 
and run oft' in either direction, and accommodated with racks or man¬ 
gers as may be required. But every domestic animal on the farm 
should be fed at the barn, with the exception of sheep, which require, 
if kept in large numbers, a different and separate course of manage¬ 
ment. The custom of stacking hay or grain in the fields is at best a 
bad one, and if resorted to, it should be removed to the main barn as 
soon as the cutting season is over, or there is room in the barn to re¬ 
ceive it. Small moveable barns are frequently built to store it in, and 
from them feed to cattle during the winter; but this in the best of wea¬ 
ther is accompanied with waste, particularly in the manure, which is 
valuable even on the best of soils. It is besides much less labor to car¬ 
ry the hay either on sleds or wheels to the barn and then feed it to the 
stock, than to go daily two or three times to fodder it out. So much 
has been said and written on the wasteful method of feeding at stacks, 
that at this time it is almost superfluous to mention it. 
As to the other ordinary outbuildings to the farm, it is only material 
that they be conveniently and economically built. No farm house 
should however remain without a swill house, with a large cauldron 
set in brick, an ample wood house, wagon and tool house, corn-crib, 
&c. near by. As to the dwelling, it is a matter of fancy with many, 
and to those who have the ability, provided they make it comfortable 
and convenient, it matters little what is the shape, size or style of it. 
Still there is a model that I consider cheaper and more convenient than 
