The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-03-15

must be in abundant supply and close at
hand; and it will not be amiss to add that
the stable is not reserved exclusively for
horses and colts, but cows, which furnish
the farmer with milk and butter, should
each have her stall and receive the same
care and attention.
now come to the farm-barnS. With us,
they are principally used for the curin 9
of tobacco. Before the war, our planters
seemed to have We'd with each other as to
who should build the largest, that is to
say, the one holding most tobacco. At
all events, between the years 1850 and
1860 many large barns were erected which
consumed enormous quantities of lumber
but being badly planned and resting on
blocks which soon rotted, most of them
have been blown down. These barns.
when being filled, required great amount
of labor (such as was furnished by the
slaves and those that still remain are ''ele
phants" upon the hands of their owners.
OF course they are better than nothing,
for tobacco need not he carried to the
crown of the house but when repairs be-
come necessary, and especially new roof,
the question arises whether it to be better
to make them, or tear down and remodel.
Whichever decision is reached. the farmer
afterwards is likely to wish that he had
adopted the other. This suggests to me,
and | might as well state it here, that as Il
rule there is no economy in working old
material. Frequently blown down barn
has been torn apart and the material there
from used in the erection of Il new one
In such a case. the cost of carpenters
work is much greater than if new lum-
Der were used and often the result is not
worth the money expended.
l would urge the building of barns of
moderate size, say p feet by 60 feet, 16
feet high, with a roof rising eleven feet
above the plate. The costly experience
of the past should decide us to begin with
a substantial foundation. Avoid wooden
blocks, (Which rot soon) as you would the
plague; and if you cannot afford solid
wall of brick or stone at least have pillars
of either material. The tires should be
four feet wide; and instead of placing
brOad-dOorS on the sides, with a driveway
across the barn-put them at the ends so
that wagon or cart can be driven through
lengthwisc and under every tire. OF
course, this necessitates broad-doors at
the ends of each space or section, and a
barn of the size | have suggested would
have two sections and four ad-doors.-
The sillS should not be cut for this pur-
pose, and if raised above the ground no
more than needed to avoid rotting) re-
movable platforms of bridge plank on
either side permit an easy passage. The
location of a barn is also a matter of much
Importance. Its site should be well drain
ed and on division line of fence, so that a
road to it will be secured where there must
be turning-row even when the field is in
cultivation. 1t will thus open into two
fields, one of which is likely to be pastur-
ed, and protection for the stock is furnish
one of the many advantages of smaller
structures. Being more numerous, those
adjacent to the crops fields will first be
filled while those bordering on the pasture
traordinary crop be grown, the untitled
space will be where it is needed for shell
ter Indeed. no matter what may be the size
of the crop, as soon as it is cured it can be
stored away on the upper tires and room
made as wanted.
The necessity of thorough ventilation il
curinw corn. makes it advisable to con
| struct a house especially adapted to that
purpose. Above all things the bulk OF
| corn should not he too great. and | have
! seen no plan which pleaSts me mole, thar
building say ,. feet wide 10 feet higl
| and of such length as may be desired
| On either of the long sides is a corn-crit
& feet wide. between which is Il space /:
/ feet wide where are kept the farm wagons
! and implementS On the iostS crossin.
| the plates of the corn cribs, is laid Il foo
! of tongue and grove plank whereby tht
! suacc under the roof is utilized as Il grana
". \ trap door is cut in the middle O
| this floor and through it from a Wagon
| stationed tbcncath in the open space be
| tween the cribs all kinds of grain can b,
| easily loftcd or removed. 1t has Occurrc,
/ to me that an Improvement might hc mad
| by Stating the corn cribs on the insid
| and wcatherboarding on the outside as W,
/ do our tobacco barns, there being numer
Gus blinds which could be left open a
! long as necessary. Perfect ventilation
/ could be secured by opening the blinds
/ and when the corn had dried, the closin!
of them would protect it, as well as th'
! building, from rains and SHOWS.
regret that time will not permit me t,
! touch upon dairies and henneries, for II,
| farmer can thrive without them. Indeed
the products arising from these industries
appear to Weld Il more certain remunera