The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-01-23
DARK COW-HOUSES.
Tho Dairyman Who Has Thorn stands Il
His Own Light.

the l0lrymNn VINO HAS InOm SV0UOS IN
His Own Light.
Light is one of the regulur necessities
of life for all the higher animals, and
the deprivation \. it for any length of
time will be followed by evil conse-
quences. Even ponies in coal pits have
lamplight to do their work in. during at
least some part of the twenty-four hours,
and while perpetual darkness would be
Objectionable, intermittent light and
dark is desirable. 1t is curious to note,
however, in many parts of the country
even daylight itself. is persistently shut
out from the cattle-houses and other
apartments of the farmstead, as If it
were something that would do harm,
and state of perpetual twilight is pro-
duced. One would think that all such
buildings had been erected during the
dark ages when windows were taxed,
and when every one tried to do with as
few as possible, and those of very small
size. Such places have certainly been
erected many years ago, because any
one who would put them up in this style
now would show complete ignorance of
the first principles of hygiene. Darkness
covers multitude of dirt. and it is to
be feared that little light in the byre is
encouraged by those who are not very
particular about keeping every thing as
sweet and clean as is necessary. Day
light shows up carelessness in this re-
spect 1t is no doubt for this reason
that the act relating to the fitting up Of
cow-houses as regards cubic space, ven
tilation, etc., includes requirements re-
garding lighting, as this is just as neces-
| sary for the production Of good, healthy
milk. The position of the windows is
| of importance. and is defined by two
| points which must be looked to; they
must not be in front OF the animals, and
/ they must be in the way Of the workers.
| II the windows are in front the animals
are liable to get direct sunlight or bright
| daylight in their eyes, which will result
! in injury To the same, while If they are
high up in the wall above their heads
| il means that the walls are too high, and
the house will be cold in winter time
When only one row Of stalls is fitted up
the most suitable place is in the wall
behind, while ii two rows exist, then the
roof is the best place in which to fit the
windows, and it is not too much t.
allow one square foot of glass for every
animal. As help to lightness and
cleanliness there is nothing like lib
| eral use of whitewash. 1t is wonderful
how much clearer it makes place with
out an actual increase Of light, while
| of course, destroying the dirt and i'm
proving the sanitation at the same time
| There are cases, however. where tn,
presence of windows behind the animals
has allowed of the ingress Of direct sun
light, which was reflected from the wall
in front and thus became as injurious t,
the eyes of the stock as IL it were shin
ing directly in their faces. To obyiat,
this the walls should be washed will
some coloring material up to the heigh
of the stalls, while all the rest. includ
ing the parts behind, should be white
The best coloring material we have eve
heard of for this purpose was chocolate
paint made in the usual way. and thel
mixed with carbolic acid. This gave
dark color. with which the partition
and the front stall to the height of fiv
feet were painted, and on which splashe
of dirt did not show readily, while tn
presence OF the carbolic acid acted as
isinfcctant-the smell soon disappear
ing. But even common clay used as
wash suits very we'll for this purpose
There is very little reason why Of
cow-houses should remain dark tor W.
presume that new ones would never b
built sol, because it is so easy to put i
glass tiles or states in the roof-th
proper place to admit the light-whil
windows are not SO very expensive
insert and may be made, to serve tn
double purpose of both light and venti
alton.
A dairy farmer who does not see tn
necessity of we'll lighted cow-honses
standing in his own light in more sense
than one. while he will always Great
suspicion, and put one forcibly in min
of the statement regarding those VIII
love darkness better than light becaus
their deeds are evil. Shady practice
follow as matter of course, so, there
fore. to keep our regulations above su!
picion. like Casar's wife, let us have q
much of jolly old Sol as possible 10
| don Agricultural Gazette.