Скотный двор

           Snowballhadmadeaclosestudyofsomebacknumbersofthe‘FarmerandStockbreeder’whichhehadfoundinthefarmhouse,andwasfullofplansforinnovationsandimprovements. Hetalkedlearnedlyaboutfielddrains,silage,andbasicslag,andhadworkedoutacomplicatedschemeforalltheanimalstodroptheirdungdirectlyinthefields,atadifferentspoteveryday,tosavethelabourofcartage. Napoleonproducednoschemesofhisown,butsaidquietlythatSnowball’swouldcometonothing,andseemedtobebidinghistime. Butofalltheircontroversies,nonewassobitterastheonethattookplaceoverthewindmill. 

           Inthelongpasture,notfarfromthefarmbuildings,therewasasmallknollwhichwasthehighestpointonthefarm. Aftersurveyingtheground,Snowballdeclaredthatthiswasjusttheplaceforawindmill,whichcouldbemadetooperateadynamoandsupplythefarmwithelectricalpower. Thiswouldlightthestallsandwarmtheminwinter,andwouldalsorunacircularsaw,achaff-cutter,amangel-slicer,andanelectricmilkingmachine. Theanimalshadneverheardofanythingofthiskindbefore(forthefarmwasanold-fashionedoneandhadonlythemostprimitivemachinery),andtheylistenedinastonishmentwhileSnowballconjureduppicturesoffantasticmachineswhichwoulddotheirworkforthemwhiletheygrazedattheireaseinthefieldsorimprovedtheirmindswithreadingandconversation. 

           WithinafewweeksSnowball’splansforthewindmillwerefullyworkedout. ThemechanicaldetailscamemostlyfromthreebookswhichhadbelongedtoMr.Jones —‘OneThousandUsefulThingstoDoAbouttheHouse’,‘EveryManHisOwnBricklayer’,and‘ElectricityforBeginners’. Snowballusedashisstudyashedwhichhadoncebeenusedforincubatorsandhadasmoothwoodenfloor,suitablefordrawingon. Hewasclosetedthereforhoursatatime.