S56 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



the kettle, when boiling, can only rise through the holes, 

 and thence ascend among the articles to be boiled in ihe 

 hogshead, and pass off at the top. In this way a hogshead 

 lull of potatoes will be nearly as soon boiled, as a small part 

 of them only could have been, if placed in the kettle under- 

 neath. 



As the kettle must be so closed as to prevent any steam 

 passing off, but through the bottom of the hogshead or vut, 

 a pipe or tube must be set in one side, through which, with 

 the aid of a tunnel, the water is to be poured into the ket- 

 tle, as olten as occasion may require. When poured in, the 

 tube is to be stoped, with a plug for the purpose. 



Grain of all kinds may be steamboiled to great advantage^ 

 for feeding and fating cattle ; but, in that case, it is requisite 

 to have the bottom of the hogshead covered with a cloth, 

 to prevent the grain runing down through the holes. 



By experiments which have been accurately made, in 

 Pennsylvania, upon Indian corn and potatoes, used for fat- 

 ing Swine, it was found that they increased in weight one- 

 third fasier on the boiled, than on the unboiled food ; or, in. 

 other words, they gained three pounds when fed on the 

 former, where they only gained two pounds when fed on the 

 Icuter. We are fully of opinion, that steamboiling food, for 

 feeding or fating all sorts of cattle, generally increases the 

 value of the food, as much as forty or fifty per cent. 



We are induced to lay this down, as a general rule, that 

 all kinds of food, whether for Man, or beast, is more or less 

 improved in its nutrimental qualities, by being boiled. This 

 is evidently the case, in regard either to grain, or roots; 

 and we believe that every kind of vegetable matter, even 

 green grass itself, will be found much improved, as a food 

 for cattle, when it has been sufficiently subjected to the 

 operation of the steamboiler. But, whether the additional 

 expense thus incured would, in all cases, be found over- 

 balanced by the additional value thus given to the food, 

 must depend on the results of experiments to be fairly and 

 properly made. 



STERCORARY. This is constructed for the purpose of 

 preparing burnduug for use, by roting and fermenting. Jt 

 is simply a shed, of suitable height and dimensions, with a 

 floor, or bottom,- made for the purpose of saving all the 

 liquor of the dung; for this liquid is found to be very valu- 

 able, as a manure. The floor of a cider press is sufficient 

 to give an adequate idea of the proper manner of forming 

 a floor for a stercorary. It is to have a gutter to catch 

 the liquor, and a cistern to contain it ; and, when thus col- 

 lected, is either to be thrown back on the heap of dung, 

 or usd in compostf, or otherwise, as may be found most 



