New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-03-03
to handle, while it produces scarcely
any smoke. A good wood lot saves the
expenditure of money, prevents anxiety,
and adds greatly to the comfort of a
a Good Barn-Yard.

Few farmers place a sufficiently high
estimate on the value of good barn
yard. and accordingly they give little
attention to its location, the manner of
inclosing it and rendering it comfort
able for the animals that spend much of
their time in it. In many cases they
are at little pains to so arrange it that it
serves the purpose of making and pre-
serving manure. In arranging a barn
yard the first consideration should be in
surfing the comfort of the animals that
are kept in it, and it should be remem-
bered that most animals kept on farms
pass more than half their lives in the
barn-yard. It is not practical to make
a pleasure ground of the barn-yard; but
it is practical to make it a comfortable
place in which animals will enjoy stay
ing, and from which they will not strive
to make their escape. To render it
comfortable portion of its surface
should be quite high and dry. so that
animals can stand or lie on it without
becoming wet and dirty. The plan of
having one side of the barn-yard elevat-
ed a foot or more above the remaining
portion is good one, and one that is
easily carried out. If there is no natur-
al decline, stones Or, timbers can be
placed across a portion of the yard and
the space back Of it can be filed to the
required height with sand or clay.
Protection from wind and snow
should be the next consideration, and
this is very important one in the
northwest. The barn or other farm
buildings should have the entire or chief
protection on the west side, as the
worst winds generally come from that
direction. Protection on the other
sides should be secured by means of
sheds and tight fences. The best fence
for farm-yard is one made of strong
posts and boards. A wire fence is very
Objectionable, as it affords no protection
against the wind, allows the snow to
blow through it, while the barbs on the
wire are very likely to injure animals
that are pushed against it, as they are
likely to be in the contests that are 60
ing on when many animals are con-
fined in somewhat limited quarters. A
good fence, somewhat costly to build,
but economical in the end, can be con-
structed of strong posts, in which
scantlings are inserted near the top and
bottom, to which boards seven or eight
feet long are attached in an upright po-
sition. Such a fence keeps out the
drifting snow and breaks the force of
the wind. Cattle that stand or lie near
it will be comfortable, providing rain is
not falling. Their fodder will not be
blown about if it is placed next to such
fence.
A fence of this kind can be utilized to
form one side of a long shed. If sap
lings can be obtained they can be placed
in line in the ground twelve or more
feet from the fence and a support for
poles nailed to them at the proper
height. On this poles can be run to the
top of the fence and on them roof of
straw can be made A shed of this
kind will cost but very little, while it
will do much toward afording comfort
to the animals confined in the farm
yard. A better shed can be made by
using cedar posts and scantling for
support and by making the roof Of
boards and. battens. With little doubt
the cheapest and best roof could be
made of rough boards and building
paper covered with coal tar, rosin, and
gravel. The roofs of many buildings
in large towns are now made of these
materials, and they give excellent salts
faction; but the art of making them has
not extended into the country. AL
though well constructed barn or sta
BILE is necessary for the protection of
work horses and dairy COWS during the
winter, a good shed will afford ali the
protection needed for ordinary store
cattle, and in the majority of cases they
prefer it to the barn, as it allows them
more liberty.
Of course the barnyard should be well
supplied with water. It is not neces-
sary, however, that the well that sup
plies the water or the pump that raises
it be located in the yard. There are
many good reasons for having the well
outside of the yard. Its water would
be less likely to be contaminated, and it
is more pleasant to draw water from a
well that is outside the yard to trough
that is within it. 1t is much better to
have the watering trough under an open
shed than in an exposed place near the
center OF the yard. If it is under shed
snow will not accumulate about it and
make it difficult for animals to get a
drink. II there are more animals of
different kinds to be supplied with
water it is much better to have more
than one drinking place. By having
several troughs the danger of crowding
and hooking is obviated. It is good
plan to have all the troughs filled with
water before cattle and horses are let out
Of the barn and stable in the morning,
as they generally seek to obtain drink
as soon as they are released.
A portion of the barn-yard should be
devoted to the making and storing of
manure. During the summer the drop
pings Of the cattle should be thrown on
this place every morning. By adopting
this plan the larger portion Of the yard
can be kept clean for the cows to lie in.
Clean milk can not be secured without
great trouble if cows can not lie down
without coming in contact with their
droppings. By insuring the rotting Of
the coarse fodder that is thrown out to
stock, but which is not eaten, portion
of fha ward shnn1d hn nononorofivn1r :,