The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-03
FARM BARNS,
The Great Importance of Properly Plan
ming Their Construction.


ming Their Construction.
The inferior buildings of the farm
may be erected by any farmer or farm
hand who is handy with tools. Very
few are required for sheds, hay-bar-
racks and other rough structures.
Barns, especially the more pretentious
and permanent stables. require distinct
/ planning in order that economy OF
space may be attained and convenience
of arrangement fully carried out. This
belongs distinctly to the architect and
not to the working carpenter and
! mason. As a rule in the more COM
plete class of structures the commission
of the architect will be well earned.
But to have every detail carefully
worked out the farmer should bear well
in mind what he wants, in order that
the architect may be fully informed
/ how to manage the details.
As IN indication in this direction the
architect, or the builder who unites
architecture with building, should know
whether the building is to be a base
ment or bank barn. and in the latter
case the rise and fall of the situation
from front to rear of the barn, and
whether stone or brick is 10 be used in
the basement. For the foundation, of
course, stone must be used, and it is
better that the basement story itself
should be of stone. The architect should
also be informed how much stock is to
be kept. and the numbers of each
class of stock. Then. again, the amount
of hay, sheaf grain, straw and other
fodder 10 be stored should be carefully
estimated. and also the capacity of feed
bins for the several classes of grain,
bran, and other provender. In relation
to live stock, in the case of cattle, it
must be stated whether they are to be
kept in regular stalls, as in the case of
blooded stock, or merely on floors with
cutters for manure and other waste be-
hind. In this case the relative numbers
of the several ages of cattle should be
stated, since the size of the animal must
determine the length of the floor or
standing-place. So it should be dis
tinctlv stated whether the cattle are to
be held in stanchions or by ties. For
horses it should be stated whether racks
or managers are TO be put managers
are altogether best and also whether
single or double stalls are desired. and
how many of each; also how many loose
boxes for foaling mares or sick animals
are desired.
In respect to the storage capacity of
the barn in the way of fodder, it must
be known whether it is to be delivered
into she mows or bays by horsepower
tackle or by hand. and it wo1ld be well
TO designate the kind of power to be
employed. Ii water is to be drawn by
steam, wind. or horse power, or if feed
is to be ground and fodder chopped,
this must also be stated. If all this is
carefully stated the architects can at
tend intelligently to all the details. in
GLIDING ventilation, chutes for deliver
ing hay, straw and grain, either ground
or unground into the feeding-rooms or
near hangers, etc. The barn will then
be perfect in all its details according to
contract. the working carpenter will be
able to do the labor Systematically, and
this alone will in the end save enough
to pay the fees of the architect. II a
house is to be built it becomes still more
necessary that all details shall be care
fully estimated and carried out.-Chi-
cGgO Tri6una