the prejudices of a thousand years! They will win for you a
host of followers in the cause of co-operative farming.

"Now Fillmore, let us consider another matter. At the time we made our
tour of inspection, my attention was attracted to groups of oddly
constructed barns, scattered here and there about the farm. What are
these buildings, and for what purpose are they used?"

"Those are curing-barns. They mark another wide departure from the usual
methods of ordinary farming. For many years it has been a ruinously,
wasteful custom with farmers, to allow their crops of corn, grain and
hay, to stand in the fields while curing. All, subject meanwhile to the
destructive effects of storms, dews and all kinds of adverse weather,
which as a rule, destroyed much of the crop, and reduced the remainder
to the condition of an inferior grade.

"By the use of these barns, we are able to inaugurate an entirely
different system, which succeeds admirably. These barns, located near
the grain fields, are constructed with strong frames. They are both tall
and wide, and so anchored to their foundations as not to be overthrown
by high winds. Each roof is supplied with a series of latticed
ventilators. In building the side walls, every alternate ten feet, was
left open from ground to roof. These open spaces were fitted with roller
screens of jointed, wooden slats, operated by weights and springs, which
allowed the interior to be well lighted and thoroughly ventilated. These
screens could all be raised or lowered at pleasure. While the barns were
being filled, they were all open.

"As the fields of grain commenced to ripen, while the straw was still
green and full of sap, and the swollen kernels were just passing out of
the dough stage of maturing; with the aid of a large force of workers,
operating improved machinery, entire fields of standing grain at just
precisely the proper stage of maturity, could be transferred to the
shelter of these barns in a single day. As the heavy green bundles of
grain were delivered from the fields, to the adjustable elevators
working through the open spaces of the barns, from either side, these
bundles were carried to the hands of the rick-builders, who piled them
into narrow ricks five feet in width, across the barn and up to the
roof. As the ricks grew in height, strong wire screens were hooked to
the dividing posts which marked the boundaries of the ricks. These
screens kept the bundles in place, and the