THE BARN.--The management of dairy stock requires a warm and well-ventilated barn or cow-room, in latitudes where it becomes necessary to stall-feed during several months of the year. This should be arranged in a manner suitable to keeping hay and other fodder dry and sweet, and with reference to the comfort and health of animals, and the economy of labor and manure. The size and finish will, of course, depend on the wants and means of the farmer or dairyman; but many little conveniences can be added at trifling cost. The cow-room, Fig. 56a, is given as an illustration merely of a convenient arrangement for a medium-sized dairy, and not as adapted to all circumstances or situations. The barn stands, we will suppose, upon a side hill, or an inclined surface, where it is easy to have a cellar, if it is desired; and the cow-room, as shown in the figure, is in the second story, or directly over the cellar, the bottom of which should be somewhat dished, or lower in the middle than around the outer sides, and carefully paved or laid in cement. [Illustration: Fig. 56a. Cow-room for 34 cows and 3 yoke of oxen.] The cow-room, as shown in the figure, is drawn on a scale of twenty feet to the inch. On the outside is represented an open shed, _m_, for carts and wagons to remain under cover, thirty feet by fifteen, while _l l l l l l_ are bins for vegetables, to be filled through scuttles from the floor of the story above, and surrounded by solid walls. The area of this whole floor equals one hundred feet by fifty-seven. _k_, open space, and nearly on a level with the cow-chamber, through the door _p_. _s_, stairs to third story and to the cellar. _d d d_, passage next to the walls, five feet wide, and nine inches above the dung-pit. _e e e_, dung-pit, two feet wide, and seven inches below the floor where the cattle stand. The manure drops from this pit into the cellar below, five feet from the walls, and quite round the cellar. _c c c_, plank floor for cows, four feet six inches long. _b b b_, stalls for three yoke of oxen, on a platform five feet six inches long. _n n_, calf-pens, which may be used also for cows in calving. _r r_, feeding-troughs for calves. The feeding-boxes are made in the form of trays, with partitions between them. Water comes in by a pipe, to cistern _a_. This cistern is regulated by a cock and ball, and the water flows by dotted lines, _o o o_, to the boxes, and each box is connected by lead pipes well secured from frost, so that, if desired, each animal can be watered without leaving the stall, or water can be kept constantly before it. A scuttle by which sweepings, etc., may be put through into the cellar, is seen at _f_. _g_ is a bin receiving cut hay from third story, or hay-room. _h h h h h h_, bins for grain-feed. _i_ is a tunnel to conduct manure or muck from the hay-floor to the cellar. _j j_, sliding doors on wheels. The cows all face towards the open area in the centre.