52 LA SALLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 



filled from the outside. The mangers are filled from a wagon 

 that goes in at one end and out at the other. 



FEEDING RACKS. 



I prefer racks for feeding hay, to mangers, for the follow- 

 ing reason : In feeding in mangers the cattle often crowd and 

 hook, and too frequently cattle are thrown over into the mangers 

 and killed. This is often the case with the mangers at the 

 Union Stock Yards at Chicago. The manger principle is faulty 

 and dangerous, besides being expensive by cattle wasting hay. 

 In the Spring of 1877 I had a good four-year old steer thrown 

 into a manger and killed. I then discarded the manger and 

 adopted the rack. I find the most economical one for use is 

 made as follows : In constructing it in a building or by the 

 side of a fence, I set posts two and a half feet from the side of 

 the wall, have them reach six feet out of the ground, nail three 

 fence boards six inches apart, then extend a small manger one 

 foot wide on a level with the bottom of the rack. This manger 

 is for the purpose of saving what falls out of the cattle's 

 mouths. Under the rack is a space three feet wide and two 

 feet vhigh. This space serves for hogs to lie; for this purpose 

 it is a great advantage, as it protects the hogs from being 

 trampled upon, besides being more healthy for the hogs to be 

 spread out instead of lying so thick together. 



CATTLE SHEDS 



should be so arranged that husked and shocked corn can 

 be unloaded inside, thus saving the labor of twice handling 

 fodder. It also facilitates hauling out manure. All first- 

 class cattle sheds should be provided with a hay carrier to 

 save the labor of taking hay long distances. In laj'ing off 

 stock yards and making cattle sheds, care should be taken to 

 place the buildings where they will be the most convenient and 

 afford the best shelter ; especially should they be protected 

 against the north and west winds. Most farmers make their 

 buildings without any general plan. Tbe result is there is no 

 connection and no shelter, and of course much valuable time and 

 labor is thrown away. The surplus water in buildings should 



