Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/433

 MODEL DESIGNS FOR FARMERIES. 409 820. Tht Carpenters and Smith's Vard is placed in front of the sliops or work-plaees to which it belongs ; and it ought always to be (juite distinct from any of the other yards whidi have been already mentioned ; particularly those contaimng straw, on account of the danger from fire. On the largest farms, in the most improved agricultural districts, a carpenter and a smith are kept constantly on the premises ; and in those of a smaller size, these tradesmen attend one, two, or more days in a week, fortnight, or month, according to the size of the farm and kind of culture pursued. In either case, shops for these mechanics become requisite on the farmery ; these shops and yaids seixe also as repositories for such articles as require repair, and for rough timber, hurdles, gates, bricks, lime, and other materials of construction. 821. Passages or roads are required, in large farmeries, between the yards and the houses, and these ought to be of such a width as to allow two carts to pass each other, and so rounded at the corners as to prevent any difficulty in turning. Their width, in general, should not be less than sixteen feet, and there should be as {ew gates across them as possible. As the surface water collected in the gutters of these passages is not intended to be conveyed to the dung-pit or manure tank, they should never be covered with litter, but kept as clean as any other gravelled, macadamised, or paved road. 822. The Si/stem of Drainage in a farmery is a matter of very great importance, and it ought to be determined on before any part is commenced of the yards, farm buildings, or farm house. There are three distinct systems of drainage which must necessarily exist in every well-constructed farmerj' : the first is the underground drainage of the natural soil, so as to render it perfectly dry beneath, and fit for serving as the immediate l)asis of the floors of the different buildings to be erected ; the second is the surface drainage, for the removal of rain water from the roofs and passages ; and the third the liquid manure drainage, for conveying the urine fi-om the stables, cattle-houses, pigsties, &c., and the dung liquor from the hammels and j'ards, to the liquid manure tank. We shall offer a few words on each of these systems, for the guidance of the Architect. 823. Underground Draining. It seldom happens that the site for a furmery is so dry as not to require some underground drains around and through it, for carrying off the water that either sinks into the soil from the surface, and is retained there, or is found latent in the subsoil, or from some other cause. In making these drains, particular care ought to be taken that they be made so as to dry thoroughly the ground under the floors of all the houses ; and, at the same time, neither in the houses nor in the yards to interfere with the undergroimd gutters to the manure tank, so as to carry off any of the liquid manure. For this purpose, and also because their object is chiefly to carry off underground water, they ought to be deep, and they need not come within a foot or more of the surface. In general, one di-ain should surround the farmery, so as to inter- cept all exterior sources of water ; and others should cross the farmery imder tlie principal lines of buildings and roads or passages. The dung-courts will, by those lines, be rendered sufficiently dry for containing manure. As the drains under the passages, and in the rick and hay yards, will have to receive the surface water through traps, they ought to be barrel drains ; but all the others may be formed of loose round stones of three inches in diameter at the bottom, four or five inches in the middle, and of the size of large gravel at top. 824. Surface Drainage. The water of the roofs should all be collected by gutters at the eaves ; and, if not wanted for a well, tank, or pond, it shoidd be conducted direct to the underground drains. The water which falls in the passages, roads, courts, or yards not covered with litter, and more especially in the rick-yard, ought to be collected in gutters, and also conveyed direct to the underground drains, through air traps. These traps ought to be of such a construction as to retain the sand and grosser particles, which might choke up the drain, and also to admit of being readily cleaned out. There are various forms very suitable for this purpose ; but one of the cheapest and best at present in use is the iron one of IMessrs. Cottam and Hallen, shown in the perspective view fig. 838, which weighs 4 cwt. 19 lbs. and costs 50s. In this figure, and in the section, fig. 839, a is the level of the water, on both sides of the trap, 6 ; c is the opening by which the water escapes ; and d the place where the sediment is deposited. The grating at top, e, lifts off; when this sediment is to be removed. Gratings of this kind ought to be placed all along the gutters, at distances of thirty or forty yards ; in order that no great accumulation of water may ever take place on the surface. The grating being hollow in the middle indicates that the direction of the bars ought to be across the line of gutter ; their strength is sufficient to bear the pressure of the most heavily laden waggon. The contents of all the underground drains about a farmery should be conducted to a pond where they may be rendered available for the purpose of the surface irrigation of grass land ; for, notwithstanding all ordinary care and attention that may be given, to prevent the water collected from the surface by these drains from being mixed with manure z X