194 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



the large roots to dimensions suited to the caliber of the throat 

 of the animal. The cribs and barn floors are daily swept out 

 and kept clean. The droppings from the cattle without litter 

 are let into the barn cellar directly under them, and kept a year 

 before being used. The cow-yard is roofed over, ridge-poles 

 extending across twelve or fourteen feet apart, the roofs meet- 

 ing at an angle and forming troughs, which carry off the water. 

 Muck is spread four or five inches deep over the yard and 

 mixed with the droppings of the cattle. The horse manure is 

 carted out early, before fermentation commences, and laid in 

 small heaps ready for spreading. He raised last season two 

 and one-half acres of barley, two and one-half of oats, one of 

 corn, three of potatoes, and one of turnips. The roots are 

 stored in the barn cellar. Corn is put into racks four feet 

 wide, ten feet long, and six or seven high, made of slats, the 

 bottom six or eight inches from the floor, with spaces between 

 the slats to admit air, and passage-ways between the racks. It 

 will be noticed that his neat stock is all blood stock, more or 

 less pure ; the cows mostly Ayrshire. By the kind attentions 

 of Mr. Brooks, we visited with him a number of herds of 

 cattle in Princeton. At the Boylston place we saw forty - 

 three cows in one stable, the stock of Mr. Davis. Mr. W. W. 

 Watson showed us some very fine Durham stock. Mr. Henry 

 Boyles exhibited nine very handsome yearling heifers of mixed 

 blood, and some very good cows. At Maj. Reed's we saw some 

 very good stock. After returning to Mr. Brooks' and partak- 

 ing of the hospitalities of his house, we went again to the 

 barn to see the " ticing up" and the three o'clock feeding; and 

 then set our faces toward home, being well pleased with what 

 we had seen, and wondering how it happened that any one of 

 the committee did not stick to farming. 



January 31. We examined into the management of Mr. 

 George Chandler, of Shirley. Mr. Chandler's profit arises from 

 taking horses and neat stock to keep. He has reduced that 

 business to a system. He is keeping this winter thirty-three 

 horses and three colts, and seventeen head of neat cattle. He 

 feeds both cattle and horses three times a day, viz.: at six, 

 A. M., at noon, and just before dark, and waters twice. At 

 noon each horse has poured upon his hay two quarts of corn and 

 cob meal made into dough. Mr. Chandler says he will keep a 



