Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1855-03-01
A Great Barn.

count of a Barn in Berkshire Co.. Mass,
owned by Mr.. David Leavitt Of New
York city. which is the largest in the
United States, Its main features are as
follows:
This Barn is built across the bed of
small mill stream which is soon after lost
In the Housatonic, and which, though
largely fed by springs. is here in such i'm
mediate proximity to the steep Berk-
shire hills whence it rapidly descends,
that it must often he sweiled to raging
desolating mountain torrent. Across
this stream very substantial dam of
cut stone, filled in with earth. is thrown
just above the barn. forming fine fish
pond above. hffording good water pow
or and supplying water in every part of
the barn and fox every conceivable pur-
prPose. The barn itself we should Judge
TO be about one hundred end fifty feet
long by seventy in width. and Cas we
have Said) nearly one hundred feet high
The basement (of cut stone) is of
course devoted TO manures, which. with
out waste and By mechanical arrange
ments. are precipitated from the cattle
stalls on the next story. This basement
has tight stone floor, is always cool ia
summer and warm in winter, and twenty
carts may be driven in at one end. load
ed simultaneously. and driven out at On
other door. No frost ever enters, and
the manure is usually removed every
month and applied directly to the land
The advantage Of being able 10 work here
in comfort during the most Indictment
weather, and to sled out the compost in
withdrawing load to the upland and
bringing back load of cord wood TO the
rallroad--ls esteemed considerable
Gu the next floor are the cattle and
Horses. including more shan fifty Milk
Cows, mainly fine Devons, with three or
four yoke of Working Oxen and as many
teams of Horses. Each is kept in its
place by long strap buckled around the
neck. but giving each ample freedom to
lickevery part its body which is dee m
ed i'm portant. Food and drink are Civ
EN- to each in large iron trough or man
ser resembling quarter of large pot.
ash kettle. with one circular and two
square sides. The water flows within
easy reach everywhere. The stalks.
roots. &C., are oil cut or sliced before
feeding, and are ultimately to be steam
ed in a gigantic boiler on the premises.
At the end of each long row of cow stalls
hangs large black board, bearing at the
left side the number Of each stall in
perpendicular column; on horn of the
occupant Of said stall a corresponding
number is impressed; and whenever she
has been MIXED her pale is immediately
set in the weigh.scales, the weight of
milk ascertained and placed Opposite her
number on the black board; and at The
end of each week. the aggregate weigh;
of milk and its ascertained value are car
ried TO the cows credit in an account
book, where her food is in like manner
charged; and if any cow proves on years
trial Improbable she is sold off and all
other put in her place. The animals of
course are clean, fat. and comfortsbl
They are only turned out in mild wealth
er for a short time at midday, and MIR.
Wilkinson observed that they might thus
be kept ninety successive days in the
stable without injury or suffering. The
Milk room is directly north of the stable
under the carriage way. with sn arched
stone roof and a capacious store of ice at
the far end. The room is well tempered
Of course, may be warmed in winter if
necessary, has water pipes running
through it, and ice within arms length
of the milk pans.
On the next higher floor is a capacious
kitchen and all conveniences for the fam
| lily who board the workmen fourteen 20
twenty in number) who sleep in a spa.
cious cha mber still higher. The family
never have to move cut of their special
premises tor watei or any other accessory
20 their labor Their slOps fall into the
basement, where they belong.
On this floor arc Woodruff Plaining
Machine, Saw Mill, Buzz Saw for
cutting wood about as fast as il can be
handed on, a grindstone always kept in
rapid motion by water, &C.. &c. Into
one apartment load of grain is driven
and pitched off into a hopper, thence
run by water through a Threshing.Ma-
chine, the screened grain delivered in it's
proper bin. the chaff' sent to its appoint
ed destination, and the straw carried some
sixty to eighty feet and deposited in the
apartment prepared for it-all beyond
the pitching being done by the unsided
force of water on machinery.
I