Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/199

175&#93; BAR The barn-floors generally used in most parts of the kingdom, con- sume a quantity of large and va- luable oak-timber, often such as might be converted into two and a- half inch ship-timber; they last only from fifteen to twenty years, and require frequent repairs. Hol- low beech-floors, which were in- troduced a few years since, on ac- count of the very high price of oak-timber, are found not to wear more than seven or eight years. We think it necessary, therefore, to give a description of a moveable barn-floor invented by Mr. John Upton, of Petworth, Sussex, for which he received a reward of thirtv guineas, from the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, &c. in the year ijgQ. " This floor effectually prevents a waste of corn, in threshing; it gives an addition of at least one foot in height at the doors, by which means a higher load of corn can be admitted ; and also, as the horses do not draw the waggon up an ascent, and upon a slippery floor; but upon a hard bottom, and level with the farm-yard, two horses can perform the work, where four are now generally used. It affords a warm and con- venient shelter for hogs, when it is down; and, when turned up, it may be used as a stable, ox-stall, hove], or cart-house; two men can place or displace it in five minutes : and, from its allowing, at all times, an easy access to dogs and cats under it, it affords no harbour for vermin. " The following are statements of the materials used, and the ex- pence of the barn-floors, respec- tively. use .-—The original floor laid on the BAR [-75 ground, with three cills, and two- inch oak-plank, which in general lasts from fifteen to twenty years, cost 19I. 10s. — The Hollow-floors on brick quoins, with two and a half inch oak-phnk, cost 311. 10s. " John Upton s Barn-jlocr :— Ti e new-constructed hollow-floor is composed of oak- plank, five feet eight inches in length, and one inch and a half thick ; whereas three-fourths of the plank used in the original floors, are fourteen feet in length : — the whole expence 231. 10s. " The plank for the last-men- tioned floor may consist of deal, beech, or elm; as they will be perfectly" free from decay by damps, which will considerably lessen the expence of the new-constructed floor: these are the estimates when the materials are supplied by a carpenter. When they arc fur- nished from the estate, a very considerable advantage arises to the landlord, as the new-construet- ed floor is composed of small scantlings, which may be obtained from short timber, much inferior in value to those used for the other floors. one barn in a farm-yard, this floor may be farther useful, as it may be removed from one barn to another, and save the expence of at least one out of three. " It is supposed, that a floor constructed hi this manner will last for one hundred years, or in- deed as long as the barn ; because it is perfectly free from damps, on account of the distance at which it lies above the ground, with a free current of air passing under it when down ; and when it is turn- ed up (which it probably will be at least half the year), it will be as
 * Barn-floors now in common
 * ' Where there are more than