PLANNING THE BARN
Make a good study of many barns at short range; note what features are good, what faulty, what useless; by this means much will have been learned and many mistakes will be avoided. Decide approximately the capacity which will be required. First, draw a rectangular diagram of the barn, then proceed to the proposed location and take a seat; make a most careful study of the approach, the incline of the land, note where fences and gates will be necessary, where and how the water is to be introduced—in fact, take in the whole problem of the environment of the proposed structure. Then imagine that you see the barn, and that you have just arrived from town some stormy night with your wife and baby; in imagination help them out of the carriage. Imagine you have a span of young, restless horses which you have driven to get them used to city ways before selling them. That will make you think of a platform onto which the family may step from the carriage while you are holding the colts. Consider how many big doors you will have to open before the colts are made comfortable for the night. Are the democrat wagon and the colts to be kept on the same floor, or one up-stairs and the other down? Or is the carriage in one building situated four rods from the horses? How many gates and doors have you opened and closed since you arrived? Think it all over, and then go to the house and talk it over with your wife, for some day she may drive to town, and on her return find that both you and the farm hands are in the field, and that there is no one to help her put the team away. After imagination has pictured the conditions which are likely to prevail, then begin to cautiously modify the rectangular diagram; surround it with dotted lines, which may represent roads, fences, gates, lanes, and adjunct buildings. Then take a rest; lay the sketch away for a time; study barns in the neighborhood; council with the wife again, for she may have to go to the barn often. After a year of faithful and intelligent planning you may be able to place a well digested rough sketch of the proposed structure in the hands of a draughtsman.