Economy of the Round Dairy Barn Part 4

Siding, 8-inch drop siding, put on horizontally, nailed with 10d nails.

Ends holding well.

Windows, 12 light, 10 12 gla.s.s; one window every six feet. This gives an abundance of light in the center of the barn.

Doors, built on circle; (not satisfactory).

Silo, round; diameter, 24 feet over all; height, 53 feet, exclusive of 12-foot s.p.a.ce for water tank on top; capacity, 500 tons. Studs of silo, 2 4s placed 12 inches on center. Ceiled inside of studs with two thicknesses of half-inch lumber with paper between.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 32. INTERIOR OF BARN NO. 4, SHOWING STALLS AND FEED ALLEY.]

Remarks: Considering its size, the construction of this barn is apparently too light to be substantial, as the joists and studs are too small and too far apart, yet it has stood for nine years with no more evidence of wear than is common with any barn.

Were the owner to build again he would place the studs only 2-1/2 feet apart and use 2 12 joists, 2-1/2 feet apart at the outside wall. He would also use cement plaster on inside of silo.

The owner says it would have cost him as much to have built a rectangular barn without the 500-ton silo, and containing 1300 sq. ft.

less floor s.p.a.ce. In other words, he gained a 500-ton silo and 1300 sq.

ft. of floor s.p.a.ce, besides an immense amount of mow room, by building a circular barn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 33. ARRANGEMENT OF COW STABLE IN BARN NO. 4, 90 FEET IN DIAMETER; TWO ROWS OF COWS HEADED TOGETHER.]

BARN NO. 5

Built in 1906.

Diameter, 100 feet.

Capacity, 115 cows.

Cost, $3400.

Studding, 16-foot 2 6s, placed 3 feet on centers.

Supports, 3 rows 4 4s.

Joists, 2 10s, placed 3 feet on centers. Hemlock and yellow pine.

Floor, laid in eight directions.

Rafters, 2 6s spiked to studs. A band of two 1 6s is placed around the studs just below the rafters, and helps support the rafters.

Supports for roof. There are three purline plates. Two of these are supported by posts, the other by braces running out from the silo. The roof is straight from eaves to peak. The bracing is similar to that of barn No. 4.

Silo, 18 feet in diameter, 56 feet deep, 2 feet in ground. Capacity, 350 tons.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 34. BARN 92 FEET IN DIAMETER; TWO ROWS OF COWS HEADED TOGETHER; SILO IN CENTER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 35. VIEW OF 70-FOOT SELF-SUPPORTING ROOF ON BARN SHOWN IN FIG. 36; NOTE HOOPS ON STUDS IN RIGHT FOREGROUND.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 36. BARN 70 FEET IN DIAMETER; FRAME HOOPED FOR PERPENDICULAR SIDING; LOWER SECTION SIDED.]

THE SMALL DAIRYMAN'S BARN

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 37. BARN 40 FEET IN DIAMETER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 38. BARN 48 FEET IN DIAMETER, 16-FOOT POSTS; NOTE METHOD OF TAKING HAY INTO SMALL ROUND BARN.]

The round barns previously described do not meet the needs of the man with only a few cows. He usually wants a general-purpose barn. The circular form can be made satisfactory for this purpose if proper attention is given to the plan. It is necessary that the cow stable be distinctly separated from all other stock by a tight wall. Round barns with this arrangement are giving satisfaction in Illinois at the present time.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 39. SHOWING CONSTRUCTION OF BARN IN FIG. 40. HOOPS IN PLACE READY FOR PERPENDICULAR SIDING; ROOF SHEATHED FOR SHINGLES.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 40. BARN 102 FEET IN DIAMETER AND 85 FEET HIGH.]

DISADVANTAGES OF THE POLYGONAL BARN.

A polygonal barn has the disadvantages of both the rectangular and the round barn, and is less stable than either. It must necessarily have a heavy frame, which is expensive, and as the siding cannot run around the corners, it is very difficult to tie the different sides together sufficiently to prevent the barn being racked by the wind.

BARN NO. 6

16-sided.

Built, 1888.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 41. BARN NO. 6; 85 FEET IN DIAMETER; SAME SCALE AS DRAWING ON OPPOSITE PAGE.]

Diameter, 85 feet.

Height, 26-foot posts on 9-foot wall.

Capacity, 88 cows; 350 tons of hay.

Foundation and first story, cement wall 9 feet above cement floor.

Supports, 4 8s, placed just back of stanchions, 3 feet on center.

Studs, 2 10s, 26 feet long, placed 2-1/2 feet on center.

Joists 3 12s, 20 feet long, 14 inches on center for main span.

Rafters, self-supporting. Sheathed with 1 6s with no s.p.a.ce between.

This roof has a purline plate thrown in the gambrel. The plate is supported only by the braces which tie the joints.