Part 5

The barn on the Twenty-acre Demonstration Dairy Farm was built this large, as it was thought it might be desired at some future time to increase the size of the farm and herd, and the barn could easily be changed to accommodate a larger herd by simply enlarging the silo, without rebuilding the barn.

ITEMIZED COST OF THIS ROUND BARN

Excavating, foundation, and first story brick wall $904.00

Lumber:

149 pieces, 1 x 4 x 16 Y. P. 31 " 1 x 4 x 14 Cypress 16 " 1 x 4 x 12 " 165 " 1 x 6 x 16 Y. P. 17 " 1 x 6 x 14 " 226 " 2 x 4 x 12 " 20 " 2 x 4 x 16 " 6 " 2 x 4 x 14 " 15 " 4 x 4 x 14 " 120 " 2 x 12 x 16 " 23 " 2 x 12 x 14 " 100 " 2 x 6 x 20 " 144 " 2 x 6 x 16 " 67 " 2 x 6 x 18 " 4 " 2 x 6 x 26 " 60 " 2 x 6 x 12 " 30 " 2 x 6 x 22 " 4 " 2 x 6 x 24 " 6 " 2 x 8 x 10 " 9 " 2 x 8 x 16 " 4 " 2 x 10 x 14 " 11 " 2 x 10 x 12 " 1 " 2 x 10 x 22 " 1 " 1 x 10 x 12 " 1 " 1 x 10 x 14 Cypress 2 " 1 x 12 x 14 " 22 " 1-1/8 x 8 x 10 Cyp. S2S 2 " 1 x 1-1/8 x 12 x 14 " 2 " 1 x 1-1/8 x 12 x 16 " 6000 feet of 8-inch ship lap 3150 feet of 10-inch ship lap 71 M 5/2 red cedar shingles 165 Lineal feet of 2-inch Cr. molding 240 Lineal feet of Cr. molding 270 feet of 4-inch Y. P. S1S 4000 feet of 6-inch rough pine 62 feet of 3/8-inch Y. P. Ceiling 850 feet of 6-inch No. 1 flooring 230 feet of 6-inch fence flooring 56 lineal feet of 1/2 x 3-inch battening 32 lineal feet of lattice 444 lineal feet of 4-inch cypress 3 10-foot cedar posts Total cost of lumber $1,313.63

Mill work: Window sash and doors $270.00 Window and door frames 71.00 Sawing lumber for silo, roof, bridge and stanchions 29.78 Cost of hardware 96.57

Carpenter work: Head carpenter 518 hrs. @ 40c = $207.20 Carpenters 1057 hrs. @ 35c = 369.95 Common labor 429 hrs. @ 20c = 85.80 ------- Total cost for carpenter work 662.95

Tiling around barn and silo, sewer from dairy room, retaining wall, cement floor in alley, dairy, doorway of barn, and steps and tanks 128.54 Plastering dairy room and inside of silo 104.60 Painting 89.54 -------- Total cost of barn $3670.61

The cost of this barn, if built on the ordinary dairy farm, could be materially reduced without shortening the life of the barn. Owing to the conditions under which this barn was built, it was necessary to pay for hauling all material to the farm, two and one-half miles from town. All of the labor had to be hired, and as it was necessary for the men to board themselves the wages paid were proportionately higher. The farmer usually does the excavating and hauls the brick, sand, and lumber with his own teams, tends the mason, and does quite an amount of the rough work with his own help, besides boarding the men, all of which would greatly reduce the cost. The construction could also be cheapened by using drop siding to cover the outside, instead of shingles, which in this case were used over ship lap on the side walls to improve the appearance. This barn could be still further cheapened by putting hoops, five feet apart, around the studs, and covering with common 1 x 12 boards, put on vertically, as is done in some cases. A saving could also be made on the mill work and large doors by having the carpenters make these plainer and leave the windows out of them.

Anyone wishing to build a round barn can get local bids on the lumber bill, and determine approximately the cost in his locality. This will vary with both the location and the year.

OTHER ROUND DAIRY BARNS

BARN NO. 2

Built 1897.

Diameter, 80 feet.

Capacity, 75 cows in 2 rows, tails together, 51 head in outer circle, 24 head in inner circle.

Cost, $1800.

Studs, 2 x 6s, placed 2-1/2 feet on center.

Supports, two 2 x 6s in each stanchion.

Joists, main span 3 x 12s, 20 feet long, placed 14 inches on center. Short spans over feed alleys, 2 x 10s.

Plate, 1 x 10-inch boards sprung around near top of studs.

Roof supports, 6 x 6s placed 12 feet apart. Purline plate rests on these posts and consists of 1 x 8s sprung to the circle.

Siding, 8-inch, put on horizontally, first story ceiled inside.

To clean out, a wagon is driven around between the two rows of cows.

The chief objection to this barn is insufficient light in the cow stable.

This barn and No. 3 are approximately the same in construction, and are more substantially built than barns No. 4 and 5.

BARN NO. 4

Built in 1900.

Diameter, 90 feet.