=Design and Errors.=--The location disposed of, the design and construction is a problem that cannot have too careful consideration. There are two grievous errors that may creep in; overbuilding and under building. Overbuilding recognizes the construction of a plant too large for present needs, thereby making the capital investment too large for the business to be done, and sometimes resulting in the handicap of insufficient monies for plant operation with all the difficulties entailed. Under building, failing to recognize the growth that might occur and failing to so arrange that the growth can be made in a way that keeps the plant in balance and makes for economical operation. Either condition may lead to regrets. =Character of Business.=--At this point comes the consideration of the character of the business to be conducted and the proportioning of departments one to another suitably. For instance, in a beef shipping plant for fresh beef the coolers may have a hanging capacity equal to at least three times the daily slaughtering capacity, while at some market points the ratio may be ten times. Whereas, at a freezing plant it becomes a question of room to accumulate a cargo dependent upon transport facilities. =Requirements.=--The requirements in the various localities, as to arrangement of departments; to comply with sanitary necessities as to light and ventilation, and the classes of materials required in construction, are changing from time to time and no set rule can be made, but these are axiomatic: (1) Products prepared for food purposes must be quickly and thoroughly isolated from non-edible products. (2) All departments should, so far as possible, be maintained in separate buildings. (3) Building materials should, so far as possible, be non-absorbent. (4) Light and air should be arranged for in plenty. (5) The question of movement of product to minimize labor should be given proper attention. In the building of a packing house it is only within the last few years that this matter has been studied from the standpoint of obtaining the best results at the least expenditure for operating. (6) Formerly it was considered proper to build the killing house and coolers on the ground level, excavating a cellar for the storage of some of the products; the power house, tank rooms and other buildings for the disposition of by-products were placed without reference to economy in operation. Experience has proven that it is economical to slaughter animals on the upper floor of a building, and instead of spreading out on the ground and covering a large area as formerly, to build higher over a smaller area. With a proper incline the animals will walk to an elevation of 50 or 60 feet without detriment to their condition, and it is much cheaper to do this than to kill them on the ground level and elevate the products, or to convey or transport them to distant buildings on the same level.