New York AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. a1 
along the floor under the water dishes and nests, so it is possible 
to warm the room slightly if desired during very cold weather. 
The sides at the rear and the outer ends of both wings are double, 
inclosing an air space. The windows in each wing are of one 
sash and hinged at the side so that they serve as doors to the 
open runs. Storm windows are fitted to button on outside for 
use during cold weather. 
OTHER BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS. 
Some years ago a large water-tight manure platform, about 100 
by 40 ft., constructed of grouting and cement, was built just south 
of the cattle barn. Under this platform water-tight cisterns were 
located to catch all drainage from the manure. As this platform 
had no covering, and as the records of sixteen years show the 
rainfall of this region to vary from twenty-two to thirty-six inches 
annually, it is plain that approximately from 230 to 375 tons of 
water would fall annually on this platform, a large part of which 
would run into the cisterns. In order to make available the plant 
food taken into solution, all this rain water must be pumped into 
carts and distributed on the land, thus incurring an expense much 
greater than the value of the plant food leached from the heap of 
manure. In view of these facts, a manure shed has been built 
over this platform. The wisest method of saving manure is to 
use sufficient absorbents behind the cattle, and then if the manure 
is stored, to keep it. sufficiently moist and compact to prevent ex- 
cessive fermentations. 
This shed is so placed with relation to the new piggery men- 
tioned later, that if it seems wise, the swine will be given access 
to the manure, thus securing the desired compactness. 
A new piggery, designed to accommodate twenty or thirty 
swine, has been erected adjacent to the manure shed. ‘This was 
made necessary by the need of proper and convenient storage 
space for farm machinery which can now be found in the base- 
ment of a barn formerly used for swine. This basement is to be 
renovated and finished with a grout and cement floor and used for 
storing the smaller implements and machinery when not in use. 
