Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-19

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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 slav-
cry days the cooking and washing on
southern farms were done in buildings
occupied by negroes and located some
distance from the family dwelling. The
advantages of this arrangement were
many, and the disadvantages few. 1t
was incOnyenient to pass from one
building to another when the weather
was unfavOrable, but this Objectionable
feature of the arrangement may be
avoided by having a covered walk con-
Meeting the two buildings. All house
keepers who have had the advantage
of laundry outside the dwelling are
convinced that it saves much trouble in
keeEtng 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 one 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 a question if it cannot be dispensed
with without difficulty. A floor may
be made of clay that will remain clean
and dry under tight roof, and will
answer 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 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 the countries where
lumber is scarce, and they may be dis
pensed with here. On the continent of
Europe barn floors made of concrete or
of clay to which a little coal tar is add
ed, are very common. Many owners
of horses prefer to have them stand on
a 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 Germans 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
las been generally followed by their
descendants. The windows in barns
are favorable to ventilation as well as
for the admission of light; that animals
thrive better in well-lighted barn or
stable than in one that is dark, has
been repeatedly demonstrated. The
time is not far distant when it will be
regarded as extreme cruelty to animals
to cOnfine them in dark buildings.
The construction of economical build
ings for sheep has received attention in
this country. The Scotch, who are the
best shepherds in the world, give eX-
cellent protection to their sheep, and
contrive to afford it at very small eX-
pense. In many cases the tight fence
around the sheep yard answers for the
back wall of the shelter. The roof,
which projects a considerable distance
in front of the other wall, is often made
of thatch, which is secured to saplings.
| The floor is of clay. Low buildings
are preferred to high ones for the rea-
son that they are warmer. During the
lambing season partitions are placed in
these buildings so that each eve may
have compartment to herself and her
condition watched by the shepherd.