Here is presented the design of a barn built by ourself, about sixteen
years since, and standing on the farm we own and occupy; and which has
proved so satisfactory in its use, that, save in one or two small
particulars, which are here amended, we would not, for a stock barn,
alter it in any degree, nor exchange it for one of any description
whatever.
For the farmer who needs one of but half the size, or greater, or less,
it may be remarked that the extent of this need be no hindrance to the
building of one of any size--as the general _design_ may be adopted, and
carried out, either in whole or in part, according to his wants, and the
economy of its accommodation preserved throughout. The _principle_ of
the structure is what is intended to be shown.
The _main_ body of this barn stands on the ground, 100x50 feet, with
eighteen-feet posts, and a broad, sheltering roof, of 40deg pitch from a
horizontal line, and truncated at the gables to the width of the main
doors below. The sills stand 4 feet above the ground, and a raised
driving way to the doors admits the loads of grain and forage into it.
The manner of building the whole structure would be, to frame and put up
the main building as if it was to have no attachment whatever, and put
on the roof, and board up the gable ends. Then frame, and raise
adjoining it, on the long sides, and on the rear end--for the opposite
gable end to that, is the entrance front to the barn--a continuous
lean-to, 16 feet wide, attaching it to the posts of the barn, strongly,
by girts. These ranges of lean-to stand on the ground level,
nearly--high enough, however, to let a terrier dog under the floors,
to keep out the rats--but quite 3 feet below the sills of the barn. The
outer posts of the lean-to's should be 12 feet high, and 12-1/2 feet
apart, from center to center, except at the extreme corners, which would
be 16 feet. One foot below the roof-plates of the main building, and
across the rear gable end, a line of girts should be framed into the
posts, as a _rest_ for the upper ends of the lean-to rafters, that they
may pass under, and a foot below the lower ends of the main roof
rafters, to make a break in the roof of one foot, and allow a line of
eave gutters under it, if needed, and to show the lean-to line of roof
as distinct from the other. The stables are 7 feet high, from the lower
floor to the girts overhead, which connect them with the main line of
barn posts; thus giving a loft of 4 feet in height at the eaves, and of
12 feet at the junction with the barn. In this loft is large storage for
hay, and coarse forage, and bedding for the cattle, which is put in by
side windows, level with the loft floor--as seen in the plate. In the
center of the rear, _end_ lean-to, is a large door, corresponding with
the front entrance to the barn, as shown in the design, 12 feet high,
and 14 feet wide, to pass out the wagons and carts which have discharged
their loads in the barn, having entered at the main front door. A line
of board, one foot wide, between the line of the main and lean-to roofs,
is then nailed on, to shut up the space; and the rear gable end boarded
down to the roof of the lean-to attached to it. The front end, and the
stables on them vertically boarded, and battened, as directed in the
last design; the proper doors and windows inserted, and the outside is
finished.
[Illustration: FLOOR PLAN.]