Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/198

ml BAR sheds appropriated for cows, horses, or fat cattle. Corn-stacks anas* be built on the opposite side of the barn. In the year 1 797, a model of a barn, upon a new construction, was presented to the Bath Society bv Mr. Dobson, carpenter, of Norwich, who received a premium for his contrivance. The differ- ence 'between the common barn, and that just mentioned, is as fol- lows : — The area of the former, 14/5 square feet ; 24,426 cubic feet for corn only ; 7°2 cubic feet of timber j the latter, according to the model, 1472 square feet, the area ; 30,000 cubic feet, for corn only j and 445 cubic feet of tim- ber. By this calculation it ap- pears, that a barn built according to Mr. Dobson's plan, gains on one in common use, of the same area, 0*474 cubic feet of space, and requires 257 cubic feet less of tim- ber : and as there is nothing in its construction which would increase the price of workmanship, the cost of one on this plan, and another of the common kind, would be as 445 to 702 ; and the mathe- matical strength of the former is obvious. A representation of the model above alluded to, is given in the sixth volume of the Rapertoiy of Arts and Mcuntfaciures. BARN-FLOORS— -The best kind are to be found, according to Mr. "Marshall, in the district: of Cotswold, Gloucestershire : they are from 12 to 14, by IS to 20 feet ; some of oak, others of stone ; but a species of earthen floor, which is made here of the calcareous earth of die sub-soil, a kind of ordinary i, and the chipping? of free- stone, is considered to be superior to floors of stone, or any other BAR material, except sound oak-plank. The great excellence of these doors is owing partly to the materials of which they are made, and partly to the method of fanning them, which is, perhaps, peculiar to that district ; it is described as follows : " Eardien bam-rioors are made, in other places, of ivst materials; a kind of mortar, which, as it dries, is liable to crack, and re- quires some months after it is- made, to dry it hard enough use: on the contrary, the mate- rials in the practice under consi- deration, are worked dry ; they of course do not crack, and are ready for use as soon as finished. The' materials, mixed together, are sift- ed twice over: the first time, through a wide sieve to carch the stones and large gravel, which are thrown to the bottom of the floor ; the next, through a liner sieve, to separate the more earthy parts from the finer gravel, which is spread upon the stones, and upon this, die more earthy parts, making the whole about a foot thick, and trimming down the different layers closely and i upon each other. The sv. being levelled, it is beaten with 3 flat wooden beetle, made like the gardeners' turf-beater, until the surface become as hard as a stone, and rings at every stroke, like me- tal. If properly made, they are said to last a great number of years, being equally proof against die flail and die broom. " These materials, it is true, cannot be had in many distrLct&j but the principle of making barn- floors with dry materials being known, other substances than these which are here in use, may be found to answ.r the same pur- pose." The