Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-04-27
AGRICULTURAL.
BARN YARDS,


In the construction Of barn yard
many farmers seem to think that little or
no planning and skill is necessary They
generally build their barns without any
regard to the yard, north or south side
! The yard however, IS quite az import
/ ant as the barn, and should be 90 stu
ated that the manure in it will not escape,
and run off as is frequently the case,
! down some hill.
There are farmers who think that
/ stream Of water, running directly through
| their barn yards, for watering stock, is a
good thing, whereas it is the worst place
| for one that can be imagined, takiBR the
saving of the liquid manure into cORsid-
Grafton, as a large portion of it must, Of
course, find its way into the stream, and
/ pass off where it does no good to any per-
/ son.
A great desideratum, in constructing a
barn yard, is the preservation Of the ma
nure; and fer that purpose, 10 should be
! eXcayated IN a bOWl-like shape, on a
declinatiOn from the circumference to the
centre, and the bottom made tight with
clay made into mOrter, while applying it
so that the liquids Of the yard will not
leach down into the subsoil and be lost
Such yard Is an excellent receptacle
for manure, where it may lie over a sea-
son, to ferment and decay and be In good
condition to apply to land.
Into such a yard a compost may be
made to a great advantage by carting In
muck, leaves, and anything upon a farm
that may be gathered up to decay. pla-
cling such things in layers, and covering
each with a layer ofstable manure, all TO
be mixed by the tramp OF cattle in the
yard.
No farmer can put too much manure
into such yard, provided he keep it well
covered with coarse litter, to prevent
evaporation Of the gases (ammOnia) which
are constantly seeking to pass of into the
atmosphere. These gases are to the ma
nure what blood is to the human system
the life ofthem and to allow them to
escape, is throwing away the foundation
Of all success ia agriculture.
Tt is often said that manuTes keep best
under cover; but that is not the case, eZ-
cept in comparison with the ruinous
practice adopted by some farmers, who
throw their manure out Of their stables
into heaps, where the rain washes a large
portion Of their virtues away where no
good is done by them Manure In a yard
as above stated, when we'll covered with
straw CT other coarse litter, Is actually
under cover, and in a better condition
than it would be under shed where it
would be liable to injury from lack Of
moisture.
Another important consideration, In
constructing a barn yard, is the protection
OF stock from the cold north and west
winds and the south side consequently,
is the best side of the barn to have it.
Stock that are well housed In winter.
aud have warm sheds to run under, when
not in the stable, viii keep In good con
dition on much less fodder, than when
they stand exposed to the raw, chilling
blasts, from the north and west in the
winter season; and the owner actually
saves about one third of the fodder they
would require, if turned into a yard ia
cling the north or west.
Farmers, you should do more head
work than you are accustomed to do, if
you would be prosperous In your bust
ness 1t is not always the hardest work
ing farmers who make the most money;
but generally those who use their brains
often, when their hands are idle.