The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-11-07
ECONOMY IN FARM BUILDINGS.
Hsw 10 Secure the Greatest Comfort with
the Least Money

The construction of farm buildings
with view to economy and con-
venience has never received the atten-
ton in the West it deserves. Most farm
houses are modelled after those found in
villages and cities. They are often con-
structed more for show than for real
comfort. The building of them in many
cases plunges the owner in debt which
causes him anxiety and trouble during
many years, if it does not result in his
financial ruin. The ambition to have a
good house on a farm is creditable
one, but its erection should be under
taken judiciously. In a prairie country
it is advisable to place it, if possible, on
an elevation SO as to insure dry soil
and good drainage for the cellar. A
site that will command a view of the en-
tire farm is very desirable. If farmer
has but small means it will be better for
him to erect a moderately sized building
at first, with view of making additions
to it as his family and means increase.
A building containing spacious
kitchen and living room on the ground
floor and sleeping rooms on the second
will afford good accommodations for
small family at little expense. 1t will
serve as the extension of a house to
be erected in the future. 1t is customary
in cities and villages to have the extern
sion to the house in the rear of it for
many reasons. The lot on which the
buildings are erected is generally long
and narrow, and it is necessary to
utilize the space to the best advantage
The house, accordingly, stands with the
end to the street, while the portions
used for laundry, cooking and dining
purposes are in the rear. A pleasant
view from this portion of the house is
regarded as a secondary consideration,
and it is generally occupied by domes-
tics. In the country, where the mem
bers of q farmers family do most of
their own work, this portion of the
house should be made as pleasant as
possible. 1t should extend from one
side of the main building, and not from
the rear end Of it. This will allow the
windows on one side to command
view of the street and on the other
view OF the garden. 1t is desirable to
have this part of the house project from
the sunny side of the main building.
The kitchen in a farm house should
be large, especially if it is to be used as
a laundry and room for canning fruit.
1t should be supplied with water srom
cistern and well, and should have pass
age leading to the cellar. 1t is better
in every respect to have conveniences
for doing washing in another building
at some distance FROM the family dwell
ing. A building sufficiently large for
laundry can be built and fitted up at
very small cost. Ifjudiciously planned,
it can be employed for variety of pur-
poses besides washing and ironing. Ii
summer it can be used to good advall~
tage in preparing all the meals for the
family. By doing tie cooking in anoth-
er building the dwelling may be kept
cool and comparatively free from insects.
All such operations as frying out lard,
canning fruit, making preserves, and
cutting up meat can be performed in
this building. The men employed on
the farm viii prefer to stay in this build
ing during rainy days to being in the
house or going to the nearest town. II
it is two stories high, sleeping-rooms for
laborers can be finished off in the upper
story. By having building of this
kind the dwelling can be kept in excel
lent condition with little labor Most of
the bad odors caused by cooking may
be avoided. So will the steam produced
by boiling clothes. In slavery days the
cooking and washing on Southern farms
were doue in buildings occupied by ne
groes and located some distance from
the family dwelling. The advantages
of this arrangement were many, and the
disadvantages few. 1t was inconven-
lent to pass from one building to anoth-
er when the weather was unfavorable,
but this Objectionable feature of the ar
rangement may be avoided by having a
covered walk connecting the two build
ings. All housekeepers, who have had
the advantage of laundry outside the
dwelling are convinced that it saves much
trouble in keeping the latter in good
condition.
Farmers generally follow very old
fashions in the construction of barns.
Although the expense of them is great,
they generally lay tight floors of thick
plank across the entire space covered
by the building. A tight floor in barn
was at che time essential, as all kinds
of grain were thrashed on it by means
of the hand-fail. A floor is no longer
wanted for this purpose. In fact, it is
no longer essential for any purpose, and
with the increased price of lumber it is
q hn 6icVnnCa1
with without difficulty. A floor may
be made of clay that viii remain clean
and dry under tight roof, and will an
swer every purpose of one made of
thick plank. BY placing layer of
straw on it good foundation is Sc
cured for hay. There is no necessity
for a plank floor in the middle of the
barn. The team and hay cart can rest
on a clay floor as well as on one made
Of expensive plank. Plank floors for
cattle, horses and hogs to stand on are
not common in countries where lumber
is scarce, and they may be dispensed
with here. On the continent of Europe
barn floors made of concrete or of clay
to which little coal tar is added are
very common. Many owners of horses
prefer to have them stand on floor
made of clay. In Mexico the floors OF
nearly all buildings are made OF
clay or of sand and lime. With
the present low price of glass
there is doubtless economy in
having windows in barns. The Ger
mans who settled Pennsylvania at an
early day built barns that were as well
lighted as the houses they occupied.
They brought the fashion from the old
country and it has been generally fol-
lowed by their descendants. The win
dows in barns are favorable to ventila-
ton as well as Tor the admission Of
light; that animals thrive better in
well-ighted barn or stable than in one
that is dark, has been repeatedly dem
onstrated. The time is not far distant
when it will be regarded as extreme
cruelty to animals to confne them in
dark buildings.
The construction of economical build
ings for sheep has received attention in
this country. The Scotch, who are the