SECRETARY'S REPORT. 209 , 



are perforated with holes one foot apart for the insertion 

 of pins to sustain the cap or cover. This (in form of a pyra- 

 mid) should be made as light as possible, so that it may be 

 readily raised by placing the shoulder under the corner. The 

 frame of three by four joists, must be large enough to fall 

 outside the posts and admit of some play. The rafters are 

 small joists nine feet in length, the feet resting upon short 

 pieces of joist placed across the corner of the frame, thereby 

 forming openings for the posts to pass. The tops of the rafters 

 are nailed together over the centre of the frame. Girts should 

 be placed half way from the eaves to the point of the roof to 

 nail covering boards to. These should be good half-inch stuff, 

 and run from the eaves to the rafters. The top of the post 

 should be kept from spreading by stay lathing them. A hay 

 cap of the dimensions given, will hold five tons of hay. The 

 cost I do not know, as this was on the place at the time of my 

 coming on to it." 



FALL FEEDING. 



This is the term applied to feeding off the aftermath of mow, 



ing lands. This practice is very prevalent, and is justified by 



experienced farmers rather on the plea of necessity than any 



other, since most farmers, of careful observation, admit that it 



is, on the whole, injurious. A large proportion of those who are 



in the habit of fall-feeding, speak like the following, from a 



practical farmer of Middlesex, who says : " I feed off slightly, 



although it would probably be better for the next crop if I did 



not. My cows, however, like it, and as they pay me well at the 



milk pail, I like to see them enjoy themselves." Another, in 



answer' to the questions, "Do you feed off the after-growth of 



your mowing lands in the fall ? Do you think it an injury or a 



benefit to the field to feed it off? " says : " I do generally, but 



consider it an injury to the field." Another says : " I do feed 



off, moderately, the after-growth of my mowing fields, and believe 



the grass worth much more so fed than if left on the ground to 



rot. A dense mass of dead grass is also much in the way of the 



scythe and the rake the next year." A practical farmer of 



Worcester county says : " I feed off the after-growth of mowing 



lands only when I am compelled to do so in dry seasons for want 

 27* 



