PREFACE.

The object of this work is twofold—one, to establish principles uponwhich the planning of farm-buildings should be based—the other, toconcentrate correct and valuable information on the nature and useof the materials employed in constructing farm-buildings.

It may astonish those of our readers who are agriculturists, to learnfor the first time that principles should still be sought for in the plan-ning of farm-steadings, after so long an experience of their use. Thesurprise would be greatly modified were they to take into considerationthe care that should be bestowed in placing the numerous apartmentsof steadings relatively where they should be ; and they would thendiscover that these are generally by no means so conveniently arrangedas they might be. At any rate, it is clear that the same arrange-ment of apartments in a steading for a pastoral farm, where live-stock alone are reared, would not be suitable for a strong clay landfarm, where no stock are reared at all. We contrast these two ex-treme cases to make our meaning the clearer. But, however greata difference of arrangement is required in such extreme cases, amaterial difference also exists in cases even more alike. It will atonce be admitted that a different arrangement should be made wherestock are reared from where they are not ; but even where stock arereared, it must also be conceded that considerable difference in thearrangement is required where 'the sorts of farming differ. Forexample, stock arc reared on both pastoral and dairy farms, but the