The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-30

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| All over the farming world PENNSYLVANIA is cele
brated for the size and quality of its barns There
is nothing to equal it in this respect in any Other
State in the Union, nor in any of the Kingdoms or
| States OF Aurope. In New York State the fence;
may be better, but the barns are not on an AVERAGE
half the size. In England, where capital j. invest
ed most extensively in farming of any country on
| the globe according to the number of acres under
cultivation, there is such system of barns as in
this State. few noblemen may have one or two
such barns, but it would not generally be esteemed
economical. The hay is all stacked in the open field
and in fact everything is left far more to be operat
| ed upon by the weather than by our farmers This
year these barns filled with plenty and indeed
it is season well calculated to test the economical
| advantages of our State system of farming very
| thoroughly. We saw letter from large farmer
who had gone out West from Pennsylvania, and
made himself the laughing stock of all the farmers
round him by investing so large amount of cap
ital in barn. But, he adds, that when it was
built these neighbors one and all came to him
desiring to store their grain in it.
Still, it must be regarded as fair and even
question for discussion, whether on the whole II
pays in an economical point of view. A good farm
OF hundred acres, according to theory of farm
ing, requires bank barn that will cost on an aver
age Sl,0OO. The interest alone is sixty dollars:
but barns are peculiarly apt to get burnt by acct
dent, revenge lightning, that the insurance
and wear and tear, roofs &C., will make nm
fveper cent. more, or one hundred and ten dollars
as the annual cost of the barn. The question is.
does this pay? We think that it can be shown
that it does Everything exposed to the weather
wastes and y injured and the loss thus sustained is
very great. Produce is injured by various enemies
The rats will not only eat their fill, even more
abundantly than in a well filled barn, but make
holes in the stacks, through which the rain will
soak and settle so as to destroy far more
The indirect advantages of good barn are what
are chiefly overlooked in the estimate, however II
enables farmer to have the command of time. He
can thresh when he pleases, and in all weathers
He can leave off when he peases, and resume with
out trouble or loss, thresh out little at time as
he wants the straw or wants to SELL and have the
rest till his hands are not otherwise emnloved In
this way it keeps him from being idle or ever
over crowded. 1t equazes the pressure of his
occupations through the year, and enables him to
employ labor when it is cheapest and most adyan-
tageous and convenient himself Itkeeps his cattle
always in good order with the least trouble and
risk. Where the food has only got to be thrown
down, and everything is perfectly convenient, the
saving of labor is not the only saving 1t prevents
cattle from being neglected often and suffering
thus. At the end of the year good barn will al,
most have paid half the interest of itself thus.
The quality and quantity of the manure collected
will of itself make up large portion of the re-
mainder Manure exposed to the weather evapo-
rates more than half its valuable and reproductive
qualities. The ammonia is best preserved by its
being under cover. As the whole permanent
prosperity of the farmer depends on the steady i'm,
provement of the quality of his land, everything
touching manure is vital in the highest de-
gree. In addition to this, the farmer with good
barn has the command OF the market If wheat
is not high enough, he wait until it is with
out injury or loss True, there is many a mer-
chant will store it for him. to be settled for when
he peases. But farmers cannot be too much ON
their guard against this sort of accommodation.
If the merchant fails, the crop may be all lost.
Enough this to vindcate the economy of good
barn.
But beside this, all of these permanent inve.t-
ments of capital make the farmer more perma-
nent occupant of the same land 1t takes ten wears
for good farmer to get things right and straight
around him, and after this he will not be in haste
to sell, or able to find one with the money who
will appreciate, he does, the comforts and con-
veniences he has thus gathered.
The ARMSTRONG GUN.-The story which has late
ly gone round as to an Armstrong gun killing a
wild goose at miles, is unfortunately discredi
ted by the following note from Sir William Arm
strong himself, published in the London Times of
the 9th:
To the Editor of the London Times: Who made
at six miles ana seven furlongs? This is ques-
ton that meets me everywhere, and dsagreeable
though it be to spoil marvellous story, am obi
ged to answer-Nobody.
wild goose certainly was shot by she'll from
one of my guns at distance somewhat short of
half mile; and although half mile is not to be
regarded as the limit of safe distance for goose
to stand at yet | am bound to say that six miles
and seven furlongs is range which as yet has only
been reached with the Long Bow.
w. g. ARMSTRONG.
LONDON, August 8, 1859.