Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-02-23
harm Cellars, " eeping Manure and
HraNIfwg grurI


In the Farmer Of Jan. Goth, CO w gave
little experience regarding manure in barn
cellars in a direction counter to tho belief Of
many at the present day. Barn cellars are
constructed for some purpose, and that pur-
pose should be such as to warrant an advan-
tage equal, at least to the additional expen-
diture. II, as is sometimes the case, a barn
cellar is constructed because the locality east
ly admits Of il, and is used for stabling ami
mails, it is perhaps unobectonable. Barns Of
this kind are sometimes met with. Giles
Little Of Columbia Conn, has such an one
The barn is built upon a side hill into which
a cellar was dug. The entrance to the barn
is about level, and all the space is occupied by
hay, grain, etc. On the back side Of the sta
BILE and running lengthwse Of the barn, are
the stable hangers for cattle, occupying about
two.thirds the width of the barn, the remain
ing third being open, serving the same pur-
pose as q shed, and under this shelter the ma
nure is thrown from the stable. In this man
ner there is no reason why stable should
not be kept in as good a condition as though
in the barn proper; and the manure being
outside, all the gases and eflluvia arising from
any state Of decomposition of manure are
avoided.
This is only the bright side OF barn cellars,
and one which may be endured in case of ne
cessity and undoubtedly is one which even
&c. W. could approve Of. But he referred
to barn cellars which are used simply as re-
ceptacles for manure, which ferments aud
generates IA gas that escapes in all directions,
and, as a consequence, must make its way
into the mows Of hay and all the unoccupied
space Of the barn, and so be inhaled by ami
mails. If pure air is necessary to the health
and comfort of human beings, it would seem
but reasonable that the same rule should APP
ply to the animal race and if impure air is
productive of disease then it might reasona-
bly, be expected that the health would not be
improved by au inhalation of impurtieB Aud
why should any such impurity be allowed Just
for the sake Of furnishing receptacle for
manure, when provision can be made that will
be equally eiieCtual without the Objectionable
features mentioned:
Except in extremely cold weather, animals
are better of il "a well-protccted yard where
they can get plenty Of exercise, than they are
confined in stable; and properly built sheds,
under which the manure can be deposited,
Afford just the kind of shelter to be desired.
Manure so deposited is as securely protected
as 1t would be under barn, and the only diff
erence exists in the addition Of the urine that
would find its way through tho floor aud so be
Incorporated with the manure. This is all
well enough until fermentation sets in; then
the escape of ammoniacal gas lessons the value
Of the manure. But this eau be avoided W. til
out the cellar, and at the same time It's entire
value retained, in perfectly easy and feast
bic manner, especially where the stable has a
floor or Is without cement bottom as is oc-
casionally the case If the stable has Il floor
and there is no excavation under it, let one
be made to the depth of two or more feet aud
filled with loan W to the floor: the urine
passing through the cracks in the floor, is alb
sorbed by the loan, and in this way all will be
saved and make one OF the best manures a
farm can afford If the floor is cemented a
gutter usually conveys the urine to a tank or
some other receptacle but it is far more diff
hcult in winter to handle it than to allow it to
take care Of itself as indicated above.
But there is another consideration in the
matter of barn cellars, where animals are to
be stabbed over them, that is of more conse-
quencs than the shelter of manure, and that
Is the safety OF the animals. The cellar ad-
vocates all say that the sleepers and floor
should be strong, and examined often so as
to detect any defects. This sounds we'll but
is not acted upon, if we may Judge from the
number of accidents recorded in which ami
mails lose their lives. In one instance a floor
fell and three animals mad their necks broken
in one stable, and but for the weakness of the
stanchions more would have been killed; and
IN the same barn, at another time, horse fell
through the floor and was severely bruised :
and at still another time when the floor gave
way, an animal was only saved by the break
ing of stanchion Many other cases might
be mentioned, but it is unnecessary the fore
going are sufficient TO serve as an argument
against the construction of such traps. The
fact is, timber alternately saturated with urine
and dried, while it appears to be reasonably
sound, so loses its vitality that it will often
break suddenly and always unexpectedly; con-
sequently, unless there is al almost yearly
change of flooring, absolute safety cannot be
counted upon. On the other hand, il plank
breaks in stable on the ground, or very near
1t, no injury or loss Of life will be likely to en-
sue. In this view of the case it would seem
but the exercise of proper precaution to avoid
all such danger by building barns without eel
lars under the stables. W. II. NEoMANs.
Columbia, Conn, Jany, 1883.