Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
Paving RarnYards.

Paving Barnyards.
We have visited a good many fine farm,
which were, in many points, models Of goo
management, but where the owner felt tn
necessity for apologizing for his banyard
And, indeed if Judgment may be passe'
from individual observation, We are con
strained to say that generally the weakes
spot in New England farm management IL
to be found in the banyards There arc
certainly many fine and commodious barns
the yards Of which are little if any, better
adapted to the purposes for which they are
designed than the old-fashioned yards Of the
old-fashioned barns.
Now it seems TO us that one OF the first
places to begin a reform in farm manage
ment is in the barnyard Here, especially
upon dairy FARMS a great part Of the work
Of the farm is done here the manure accu-
mulates, and must be saved or allowed to
waste here we exhibit stock for sale here
all visitors direct their steps and indeed,
the balnyard is the farmers salesroom, bank
and reception room, and ought to be the
best ordered place about his premises, both
as a matter Of profit and matter Of pride.
The mere fencing off Of a quarter OF an
acre next the barn and sheds does not make
a bamyard. good deal more is necessary
to be done in order to fit such a lot for the
uses to which it is appropriated. As soon
as it is put to use, especially If the soil is re-
tentive, and the water from the roofs around
is allowed to flow into it, it becomes loath-
some quagmre. and remains so ever after,
except in some exceptionally dry season.
From one side or another it is sure to over
fow in a rainy time, or during the thaws of
spring, and in that overflow the farmers
money goes to waste most fearfully. The
manure is trod into the soil by the stock, and
is dug out again with much labor, and if all
that is valuable is secured, the yard be-
comes a hole in the ground, that must be
filled up with straw or muck or left worse
than before for all practical uses
The first thing Of all in making bamyard
is to provide for carrying off all surplus
water not only from the roofs but from any
adjacent land that might otherwise be
source of overflow A good ditch, or under
drain, entirely around the yard, is absolutely
essential. Every roof that slants to the
yard should have eavctroughs aud spouts,
large enough to carry away all the water,
and the spouts should be so arranged as to
secure this result perfectly. The yard should
then be graded in dishing form, filling up
and digging out until this grade is made
perfect and uniform on all sides. Then ex-
cavate hole in the centre and set there a
large hogshcad, so that the liquid manure
and teachings may be collected. This hogs
head ought to be covered with strong plank,
and cheap pump set in it, 10y which the
liquid may be pumped up and conducted to
the manure piles in any part of the yard by
means of toughs.
Next comes what we had chiefly in mind
when we wrote the heading of this ar
tcle-paving the yard, which, rarely as it is
done, is really the most important thing of
all in fitting the yard for use, and when once
done, it will not be dispensed with for ten
times its cost. On most farms there is an
abundance of stone suitable for paving,
while on others, where stone is scarce, there
is plenty of timber from which, by means
of the drag-saws now in such common use
for saving fre-wood wooden pavement
can be easily made. And, in fact, even where
stone is abundant, the wood pavement is so
much better that we shall always prefer it.
For paving with stone, large, fiat stones
are Objectionable, because cattle are liable TO
slip on them and be injured. Flat stones,
not more than eighteen or twenty inches
square, however, can be employed for this
purpose, but even then, it is better TO alter
nate them with rows of cobble stones On
n heavy soil it is desirable to draw in a coat
ing of fine gravel, six or eight inches thick,
in which TO set the stones, bringing them all
to a level by excayating to let the larger ones
down so that the upper surfaces of all may
be at an equal height As they are set, they
to fill up the spaces between the stones, and
PAYERS FOUNDER should be used 10 drive
them all down firmly, so as to leave an ever
surface, sloping regularly in accordance witt
the designated grade towards the centre o.
the yard. A trowe is useful in laying cob
BILE stone pavement in order handily to fl
the stones into the soil, that they may all b.
level ON the top and stretched line as
guide is great help for this purpose.
For wooden pavement, hemlock logs
sawed off in pieces five or six inches long
and these pieces squared to one or two uni
form sizes so as to lay to advantage, are thu
best They are to be placed on end, tn,
gravel or sand being first leveled carefully
and the joints all filled with sand or fin
gravel. This will make yard that an,
farmer may be proud Of, and where henlocl
timber is abundant, is the cheapest, the easi
est laid, and in every point, save durability
superior TO stone. Other wood may be used
and almost any kind will be found durabl
enough to last generation, if well laid q
first, and extra blocks put aside to take tn
place of such as occasionally show signs O
decay.
We should be glad to hear from any G
our readers who have paved their barn-yardi
giving details of the work, and an accoun
Of the resulting advantages they have e,
perienced. We have seen few such yard,
and they have excited in our minds the wor
dering question why they could not be mad
as common as they now are rare. Sugge,
tions of any other ways of improving barr
yard, are also in order, and we trust GU
readers may be sufficiently interested in tn
subject to take it up and give us their idea
upon it.
FARMERS GARDENs.-Too many farmer
think it does not pay to have garden
Perhaps such garden as some Of them woul
be likely to have would not pay, but there
no such question about a garden properl
made and tended, and no family that ha
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