68                 THE WI8aOl



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RLrryakr, o FW. .AA.



    MR. EDToa :-I have often wondered wl
  some one more competent than myself has D
  said something in the agricultural journals
  favor of building barracks for fodder. I ha
  lived over twenty years in this State and ha
  never seen one in it. I think no farmer shou
  be without at least one, in a country like thi
  where so much stacking is done, which is mar
  times attended with wuich extra labor and lo.
  of grain and hay in consequence of bad weat]
  er; which would not be the case, if our farn
  era were provided with good barracks. Whe
  the expense of building them is taken into a4
  count, it sinks into insignificance when con
  pared with the benefit and convenience th
  farmer would derive from their use.

  Doubtless many of my brother farmers hav
  never seen one, and have a very imperfect ide
  of what it looks like. Therefore I will give
  little description of its construction.
  I will briefly describe two ways of buildinj
  them.
  First, the cheapest: Four posts (white oax
  is best) say 20 or 24 feet long and 7 inches it
diameter. If straight, round will answer; i]
not, they should be hewed 8 square, commeno.
ing 8 feet from the end, the unhewed portion
to be placed in the ground-the top end dress-
ed to a point. Then with I} inch augur, bore
holes 8 or 10 inches apart, commencing, say
8 feet from the butt and continuing to within
2 feet of the top. Then place the posts, say
3 feet in the ground, or deep enough to stand
firm, and 20 feet apart, forming a perfect
square. Next procure 4 pine plates 20 feet
long, 6 or 6J inches square, halved together at
the ends and placed on the outside of the posts
and pinned-the posts standing close in the
corners. The plates should rest on four round
iron bolts Ii inches in diameter, 20 inches
long, one end turned up one or two inches,
short blocks 3 or 4 inches sq%&re on the bolts
for the corners of the plates to rest on. It is
now ready for the roof. This is made of poles



qB9IN FARMER.
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and rye or wnea& straw, threshed with a faiiL
The former is best.
  With a 2 inch augur bore holes in the plates,
commencing near the corners, say two feet
apart, or thereabouts, for the framework of the
roof. The boring should be commenced on the
inside corner, with a suitable slant for the pitch
of the roof.  I would not recommend boring
clear through, lest it should weaken the plate.
The poles for the framework of the roof should
be of suitable length for the pitch, which of
course must be governed by the size of the
barrack.



  A round block about 2 feet long and 10 or
12 inches in diameter, the top end dressed to
a point, in which If inch holes are bored, in
which to insert the framework poles. Smaller
poles are nailed or otherwise properly fastened
across the main poles, commencing within 4 or
5 inches of the plates and about one foot apart,
and continued to the top. The next step is,
Ls the Dutchman says, to shingle it mit straw,
which any person who understands thatching
-an do. The expense would probably not ex-
ceed $20.
I will now proceed to give a sketch, accord-
ng to my best recollection, of the other mode
if building one, 20 feet square.

Four sills 20 feet long, 7 or 8 inches square;
posts, 20 feet long, 7 inches square; 4 posts,
feet long, 7 inches square; 4 girths, 20 feet
lng, 7 inches square; 4 posts, 4 by 4, 8 feet
lng; 8 girths, 10 feet long, 4 by 4; 8 braces;
plates (pine), 0 inches square, 20 feet long.
When framed together, board up to top of
irths, with door in front.
The posts must be 8 square from top *f girth.
must be recollected that holes and iron bolts
re required to hold up the roof in this as well
i in the other. Any carpenter can make a
oard roof. Where a straw roof is to be made,
ie other description will answer.
The roof can at all times be raised or lower-



I by mewns of a lever.  It must be remem-
red that the lighter the roof is made, the
etter.
What I have said in relation to barracks is



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