482 EEPORT OX THE TRANSIT OF STOCK. 



to suit the average length of the trains. The trough might he' 

 kept always full of water, and would enable a train of cattle to- 

 be watered in little more time than was required to open and 

 shut the doors. The expense of such a system might be alleged 

 against it, but there does not appear to be any great practical 

 difficulty in the way, and as these watering places would only be 

 required at the large stations, the cost could not possibly over- 

 balance the immense benefit to be derived by the stock. 



Sheep suffer during transit by rail from all the evils noticed 

 as affecting cattle, although from some of them in a less degree. 

 The mode of conveying sheep by rail being in many points iden- 

 tical with cattle transit, it w T ill only be necessaiy to notice here 

 the points of difference. 



First, as to the trucks in which they are conveyed, — usually the 

 ordinary cattle truck, or else what is called a double sheep truck. 

 The latter, familiar enough in form, is simply a truck with two 

 stories ; its ends are boarded generally, and its sides enclosed with 

 iron rods. The floor of the upper story forms a roof to the- 

 lower, while the upper also has a roof over it. The space between 

 the floor and roof of each seldom exceeds three feet in height, 

 and as there is no means of ventilating the interior, save the 

 draught from the outsides, which in this case, unfortunately, is 

 too much stopped by the fleeces of the occupants, the closeness 

 of these becomes almost suffocating in the centre, when perhaps 

 at the outside the sheep next to the rails are starved with cold. 

 Unless for the consideration of the large number of sheep which 

 this truck carries, usually 70, while an ordinary truck carries 

 40, there is no redeeming point about it : it is utterly bad, and 

 as the requirements of railways as to the height of trucks are 

 such that it is impossible to construct one of two stories, with 

 any regard for the comfort or wellbeing of the sheep, this form 

 of truck ought to be condemned altogether. 



In the ordinary cattle truck sheep travel very comfortably, 

 and should have no roof over them in summer, but are the better 

 of it in winter. The chief evils which afflict them are the want 

 of food and water ; and although it is somewhat difficult to bring 

 these within the reach of each individual in a truck, still a good 

 deal might be done. We suggest the following method as the 

 best : — In trucks that are to be used for sheep only, iron racks 

 might be fixed along the sides and ends, sufficiently high not to- 

 interfere with the standing room, and yet within the reach of the 

 sheep. These might even be made to fold up when not required, 

 and the truck used for other purposes without detriment from 

 the presence of the racks. Should, however, permanent racks be 

 found inconvenient, the object might be obtained by placing two 

 movable bars of wood along the middle of the truck, longitudin- 

 ally, say four feet apart, with a net stretched between, on which hay 



