The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-08-17
English Farmyards.

Perhaps the first object in an En-
glish barnyard to arrest the attention
of an American observer would be
the appearance of the stack-barton.
Every hay stack is neatly raked and
pulled by hand, so as to present firm
front to the weather; the bottom is
bevelled out with hay knife to the
extent of three or four feet, and the
top surmounted by tapering and
picturesque covering Of haulu sut1i-
cient to withstand the heaviest rain
storm and effectually resist the in
cltmencies of winter. The stacks EN-
glish agriculturists seldom preserve
their produce in covered barns, az is
the custom here) are, for tie most
parts, constructed on an elevated
SADDLE, supported at the four angles
by hewn stone pillars, surmountcd
by caps of the same material, but of
much greater diameter, so as to pre-
vent rats and other vermin, that
cannot progress in an inverted posi-
ton, form getting into the NOV.
These, too, are protected by cover
ing of haulm, and remain in position
until convenient time arrives for
threshiug, which operation is per.
formed by an itinerant fraternity, as
in this country, though almost ipvari-
able by steam power. Que Of the
greatest tock-yarG convcniences- in
deed, in climate so noted for its
changeability, an almost .indispensa-
bic adjunct is the patent ''Rick GOV
en-" an appliance calculated, in some
degree, to obviate the i'll effects of
Summer rain storms. These articles
are made of various sizes, to SUIT
every requirement, the covering be-
ing of waterproof canvas, suspended
tentwise, upon a crossbar pendent
between two uprights. The whole is
elevated and kept in position by
means of pulleys, the operation of
erecting or taking down occupying
but few minutes, while the canvas
can be raised or lowered at will, as
the progress of the stack necessitates.
Another noticeable feature is the barns
and outbuildings-solid structures of
brick or limestone, covered by a roof
ing of tile or slate.s These also pre-
sent, if not handsome, at least a
trim appearance, the doo.s and wood. !
work being neatly painted, and the
approach we'll stoned and free from
filth. Among many landowners a
custom prevails of painting the out
buildings, gates and fences, on their
different estates, of one Uniform color,
so that persons cogDizaDt of the fact
may tell, at glance, to whom a
homestead or close OF land belongs.
The color adopted by Sir Charles
Mordaunt on his West of England e.
tate is deep dark red, the material
employed being patent, ready mixed
application, which has pleasing ef
feet In s0me cases, where the farm
have been erected many
years, they are found near the dwell
ing house-indeed, too contiguous
eithe" for health or pleasure; bat
mature experience has shown the ed
visibility of building at a distance
sufficiently removed, that the etfluvia
arising from the confinement of n
large number of cattle may not con-
taminate the air one breatbps. and
this rule is now universally adopted.
As precautionary measure against
possible contingencies, it is customary
for some one, lantern in hand, to ex.
anime all the cattle before retiring,
and through the inoIation of their
quar- tiers involves an extra walk of a
hundred yards or so, the drawback il
is more than counterbalanced by the
benefit derived in a sanitary point Of
yiew.-Rural New Yorker