FARM BUILDINGS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1391, 2 June 1881, Page 3

FARM BUILDINGS.

A writer iii one of the Southern papers deals as follows with the aboVe-named subject. He says :— " Whatever may be the size of the farm the following will be necessary, viz., stable, cow-shed, fowlhouse and yard, pigstye, calf-house, implement shed, and house for preparing food for cattle during winter. The Stable. — This would be 16ft in depth, with a breadth of 6ft for every stall required. It should be " causeyed " with good hard stone, and should have a shallow drain running the whole length, with a grating leading to another drain underneath which leads to the manure tank, The Pr«GE»iES. — These cannot be too large, they comprise sleeping pens for breeding sows, 7 feet by 6ft, and outlets or yards at least 10 feet by 7 feet. Doors in the back of sleeping pens, and others between them and the yards, will be found convenient when it is required to separate the sow from her litter, or for other purposes. The dimensions for store and weenling, or fattening pigs, must be much larger, and in proportion to the stock kept. A northern aspect is the best. Imtlkmejst and tool Shed. — This should be provided with lock and key for keeping tools and other farm implements from the effects of the weather. Some people are very careless about tools, leaving them wherever they may have been used by them. Many articles aie thus lost or spoiled by rust- A farmer's motto should be, like that of every systematic man : — "A place for everything, and everything in its proper place ; a time for everything and everything in its proper time." At one end of the shed you should have a rough cupboard (an old packing case with shelves fixed in it will do) ; this is to hold small tojls, seeds, pieces of machinery, and such like things, which would get lost if left about loose. It is astonishing the expense and loss of time, and general inconvenience a careless man is put to if these small matters are neglected ; the shed is also useful for keeping coals, potatoes, bags, and on a wet day it forms a shelter, where you can sit and mend your corn sacks &c. It bhould be provided with some shelves and strong hooks or pegs for hanging up riddles, &c. You may find it useful for storing fruit on the shelves. Faek-tabd. — This should bje so arranged that the dung, etc., 'from the various animals may bo mixed in one common heap, and kept free from moisture and from evaporation by the sun. For this purpose it is necessary that where the dung: is to bo placed there should be a pit dug with a light covering on it. Have the varions houses so placed as, to form a square, with an opening on one side for drays to back into, and in the centre of the square place the dung pit. ' ■ ' 'Into this , pit the dung from the various animals should be- collected, so thatYthe overheating qualities of stable clung may be checked by the, cooler qualities, of the pig and cow dung; i(j* should bo' thoroughly mixed in thepit. It'ik advisable to have alongside of the dung pit another pit or hole into which you should let ' an iron tank, or anything which will be watertight. Into this the 'liquid' {tort of ' the manure could drain, and by mining this with the horse droppings and scrapings from the stable-yard^ you, would- vh^ve some of- the best >randrtmost '^valuable manure 'fo^.robfc oropis^ ,•■ * There lS ahould; be a sufficient spade all raund^yjour, djjf j* pit to alloyrrof ra* draynbajjfcsufcwiuiitoremove dung, and for various purposes.