Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-19

How to Make a Good Barnyard.

Several things are essential to render
barnyard good one 1t must be so con-
structed that water from any source will
not accumulate in it. 1t must not be un-
comfortably wet or disagreeably muddy
for stock. The surface must also be firm,
so that coarse manure will not be pressed
down into the soft earth, and thus make
hard pitching. These are the main requis-
ties. Now, the first thing is to provide
for carrying off the surplus water that will
be liable to find its way among the manure
Cut good ditch entirely around the yard,
not less than 80 inches deep, and fill 1t with
tiles if they can be obtained, or with plank.
Stones will be just as good to drain the soil
and carry off the water; but the drains are
more liable to be filled up by rats. This
drain will keep the ground dry on each
side of it, and will not carry off the liquid
manure Conduct all the water by cave
troughs from the roof of the barn and sheds
into this underdrain.
The next step is to grade the yard, either
by hauling earth away leveling off the
knolls, or by drawing in compact earth to
fill up the depressions The surface of the
yard should always descend gradually from
the barn and sheds There ought also to
be buildings, or cheap sheds on every side
of the yard. Excavate at the lowest part
so that liquid from all parts of the yard
will descend to that place, and there sink a
sugar hogshead, and cover it with plank,
so that nothing can fall into it. Then, set
cheap pump in this hogshead, pump up
the liquid, and send it in board or bark
troughs among the solid manure in any
6 Il, ~
security against its heating and becoming
''fire-fanged."
The next job will be to pave the whole,
or portion of it. Stones of various sizes
and forms may be used. Flat stones three
or four feet square are Objectionable, for
heavy cattle are liable to slip ON large
stones so as to injure themselves. Were
they to slip not more than two feet, there
would be little danger of harm. Some
parts may be paved with boulders of GER
tain size, and then those of another size
may be used in another place. Large stones
and small ones may be placed side by side,
by excavating a little for the large ones,
so that the surfaces of each will be of equal
hight Stretch line across the yard and
lay the top Of each row of stones even with
the line. In this way there will be little or
no difficulty in making the surface of the
pavement even. When laying the stones,
the workman needs trowel to place sand,
or fine gravel beneath thin or small stones,
to raise them up to the line, and rammer
made of billet Of hard wood with an iron
ring like that of a beetle on the bottom of
it, q drive those stones that are too high,
down even with the line.
After the paving is finished, spread sand
gravel or tinely-pulyerized clay all over the
pavement and work it into the interstices
This will make a barnyard that every good
farmer will be proud Of On many farms
there are loose stones enough lying in the
fields to pave several yards. Where stones
are scarce, the surface may be covered with
grave or clay, OF compact earth, instead o
stones. Where timber is cheap, yard car
be paved with wood, by saving off logs
five or six inches long, with drag saw ,anC
placing them on the end This would make
a pavement that could not fail to please the
most lncorrigible faultfnder or grumbler
Hcmluck, pine, oak OF all kinds, and many
other kinds of wood sawed into paving
blocks and we'll tarrcd on the lower end
with coal tar, would last many years al
ways making a very smooth and agreeable
surface to work on, and not slippery for an
ilnals. 1t would also hold liquid manure
well