Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-10-10
Construction of Farm Buildings.
THEIR ARRANGEMENT, ESPECIALLY AS
REGARDS VENTILATION.

THEIR ARRANGEMENT, ESPECIALLY As
REGARDS VENTILATION.
(Bulletin of Maine Agricultural Department.
One of the most important question:
to be considered on the farm, and which
perhaps more directly affects the welfar'
and happiness of the farmer and hi
family than any other, is the construc
ton and arrangement of his buildings
In the rural communities where socia
attractions and opportunities for recre
alton are comparatively few, the home
stands for much in the life of the family
Ii is said that more people are driver
from the farm by its isolation, loneli
ness and lack of tasteful surrounding
than from any other cause. The tele
phone and rural mail delivery are over
coming the isolation, in some measure
and it devolves upon the farmer to do al
in his power to make the home and its
surroundings pleasant and attractive.
In the construction and arrangement
of farm buildings three essential points
should be carefully considered, health
fulness, convenience and attractivenesS.
The house should be located in as
pleasant a spot as possible and not toe
far from the public highway. 1t should
be on high ground, with good drainage,
the house being higher than the barn So
that the drainage may be from house to
barn and not the reverse. Other things
being equal, southern or southeastern
aspect is the most desirable. Plenty OF
sunshine and pure air must be provided
for. The Importance of thorough venti-
lation and sunlight to health is not al
WAYS fully realized. The water supply
must be carefully looked after, for this
is a source from which disease is often
contracted. Where it is possible to
obtain water from spring situated at
reasonable distance from the house, by
running pipes to the buildings, this is
by far the best way of procuring the
water supply, both for the house and
barn, as it ensures pure water and a
great saving of time and labor. If a
well is to be used, it should be located
where it will not receive the drainage
from the buildings, and care should be
exercised that sanitary conditions pre-
vail about the entire premises.
Buildings well painted, with neat sur
roundings, yards kept clean and free
from rubbish, and farm implements
when not in use carefully stored, make
a more attractive home than where no
care is given to these details, and ex-
pense is also saved in this way. There
is no excuse for not havinga a neat lawn.
IL requires but little time. 1t is as easy
to leave the surface of the ground
smooth after grading about the build
ings as to leave it rough and uneven.
Then by making liberal application OF
well rotted stable manure, seeding thick.
ly and keeping the grass well clipped
during the summer, a smooth, green
lawn will be secured.
In ornamenting the grounds about the
house there is wide field for the dis
play of individual taste and fancy. The
first essential is plenty of trees for
shelter, but they should not be allowed
to completely shade the ground imme-
diately around the house. II properly
placed they add much to the beauty and
healthfulness of the home, but when toe
near. so as to entirely exclude the sun
light, they make the house gloomy
damp and unhealthful. The grounds
should not be overcrowded. To our
minds there is nothing much more at,
tractive than smooth lawn, with per
haps a few native Towering shrubs ol
perennials on the borders; but the old
fashioned flower garden is never out OF
place on the farm.
In the arrangement of all farm build
ings economy of time and labor should
be kept constantly in mind. In these
days it is especially true that slime il
money" All the outbuildings can bt
so arranged that every step will count
In convenient barn, we'll planned, one
man can do more chores and in less time
than two men in an ordinary stable put
up without thought or preparation
When practicable the floors should be
ON level, and everything so arranged
that the work can be done in the shortest
possible time. When silo is to be
built in the barn one of the center bins
should be taken for this purpose, ano
then the ensiage will be easily accessible
for feeding the cows.
The quarters for all animals should bt
kept as dry as possible. Dairy cows
especially, should be warm, dry an6
comfortable in order to do their best
The best flow of milk is received wher
the COW is in comfortable and happy
condition. Sunlight in the tie-up il
essential for the best results. In al
farm buildings there should be window:
enough to admit the sun from early
morning until late in the afternoon
Sunlight costs but little and is wOrtf
everything. 1t is the most perfect germ
destroyer known to man aud the cheap
est source of heat. Many farmers IL
limited circumstances can with theil
own efforts completely change aud
largely benefit the condition of theiI
tie-ups, if they are unfortunate in hav
ing old and poorly constructed barns,
by inserting windows enough TO let IN
plenty of light and sunshine. The tie
nm should always be on the south Oh
sunny side. 1t need not be very high
not more than six or seven feet, as this
will save warming so much space.
Double windows will prevent frost
caused by the moisture arising from the
bodies of the animals, when the TEN
perature is low enough to warrant a
frost. The tie-up should be so arranged
that each cow may be fed in a separate
stall, otherwise some will masticate theil
food so much faster than Others tha
they will eat not only their own por
ton but some which belongs to the Gov
above or below them.
IL should also be kept clean and fret
from disagreeable odors. This is mor'
important now than formerly. When
man manufactured his own butter, If i
was impure he was the sole loser. Now
if the surroundings are not pure and TIT
milk is sent to the factory it Is damage
not only to the farmer himself but Il
every other patron, as the factory Cal
produce the best only when it has th'
best product to work with.
The question of ventilation for ou
barns and stables should receive especia
attention. In this climate where it ii
necessary to house animals for so larg
a portion of the year, one OF the mos
difficult problems with which the farme
has to contend is how to secure tn
necessary warmth for his animals ant
still give them sufficient pure air h
keep them in a perfectly healthy con