412 SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. Part II. 



calves are all kept separate in a small compass, and cannot hurt each other, as the 

 stronger ones sometimes do the weaker, when confined promiscuously, and their food 

 may be much more easily and equally distributed. 



2679. The calf-pens in Gloucestershire, Marshal observes, are of an admirable construction ; extremely 

 simple, yet singularly well adapted to the object. Young calves, fattening calves more especially, require 

 to be kept narrowly confined : quietness is, in a degree, essential to their thriving. A loose pen, 

 or a long halter, gives freedom to their natural fears, and a loose to their playfulness. . Clean- 

 liness, and a due degree of warmth, are likewise requisite in the right management of calves. A 

 pen which holds seven, or occasionally eight calves, is of the following description : The house 

 or roomstead, in which it is placed, measures tvvelve feet by eight : four feet of its width are occupied 

 by the stage, and one foot by a trough placed on its front ; leaving three feet as a gangway, into 

 the middle of which the door opens. The floor of the stage is formed of laths, about two inches square, 

 lying lengthways of the stage, and one inch asunder. The front fence is of staves, an inch and a half 

 diameter, 9 inches from middle to middle, and 3 feet high : entered at the; bottom into the front bearer of 

 the floor (from which cross-joists pass into the back wall), and steadied at the top by a rail ; which, as well 

 as the bottom piece, is entered at each end into the end wall. The holes in the upper rail are wide enough 

 to permit the staves to be lifted up and taken out, to give admission to the calves ; one of which is fastened 

 to every second stave, by means of two rings of iron joined by a swivel ; one ring playing upon the 

 stave, the other receiving a broad leathern collar, buckled Tround the neck of the calf The trough is 

 for barley-meal, chalk, &c. and to rest the pails on. Two calves drink out of one pail, putting their heads 

 through between the staves. The height of the floor of the stage from the floor of the room, is about one 

 foot It is thought to be wrong to hahg it higher, lest, by the wind drawing under it, the calves should be 

 too cold in severe weather : this, however, might be easily prevented by litter, or long strawy dung thrust 

 beneath it. It is observable, that these stages are fit only for calves which are fed with the pail, not for 

 calves which suck the cow. 



2680. Hog-styes for the breeding or fattening of swine, are mostly built in a simple 

 manner, requiring only warm dry places for the swine to lie in, with small areas before, 

 and troughs to hold their food. They are generally constructed with shed-roofs, and 

 seldom above six or seven feet wide, with height in proportion. In order that they may 

 be convenient, they should be at no great distance from the house ; and the less they 

 are connected with the other farm-buildings the better. In some cases, it might be of 

 utility to have them connected with the scullery, in such a way as that all sorts of refuse 

 articles might be readily conveyed to them by pipes or other contrivances. When at a 

 distance, they should be so placed as that the servants need not enter the farm-yard in 

 feeding them. It is a circumstance of vast advantage in the economy of labor, as well 

 as food, to have them conveniently situated and built. Though swine are generally, 

 perhaps from a too partial view of their habits, considered as filthy animals, there are no 

 animals which delight more in a clean and comfortable place to lie down in, and none 

 that cleanliness has a better effect upon with respect to their thriving and feeding. In order 

 to keep them dry, a suflScient slope must be given, not only to the inside places where 

 they are to lie, but to the outside areas, with proper drains to carry oflf all moisture. 

 The outsides should also be a little elevated, and have steps up from the areas of at 

 least five or six inches in height. Hog-styes should likewise have several divisions, to 

 keep the different sorts of swine separate ; nor should a great many ever be allowed to 

 go together ; for it is found that they feed better in small numbers, and of equal size, 

 than when many of equal sizes are put together. Proper divisions must, therefore, be 

 made ; some for svrine when with the boar ; others for brood swine, and for them to 

 farrow in ; for weaning the pigs, for keeping the store pigs, for fattening, &c. When 

 convenient, the areas should be pretty large. And where it can be had, it is of great use 

 to have water conveyed to them, as it serves many useful purposes. 



2681. Every sty should have a rubbing-post. " Having occasion," says Marshal, " to shift two hogs out 

 of a sty without one, into another with a post, accidentally put up to support the roof, he had a full op- 

 portunity of observing its use. The animals, when they went in, were dirty, with broken ragged coats, 

 and with dull heavy countenances. In a few days, they cleared away their coats, cleaned their skins, 

 and became sleekv haired ; the enjoyments of the post were discernible even in their looks, in their live- 

 liness, and apparent contentment. It is not probable, that any animal should thrive while afflicted with 

 pain or uneasiness. Graziers suffer single trees to grow, or put up dead posts in the ground, for their 

 cattle to rub themselves against ; yet it is probable that a rubbing-post has never been placed intention- 

 ally in a sty ; though, perhaps,for a two-fold reason, rubbing is most requisite to swine." In farm-yards 

 the piggeries and poultry houses generally occupy the south side of the area, in low.buildings, which may 

 be overlooked from the farmer's dwelling-house. They should open behind into the straw-yards or dung- 

 heap, to allow the hogs and fowls to pick up the corn left on the straw, or what turnips, clover, or other 

 matters are refused by the cattle. They should have openings outwards, that the pigs may be let out to 

 range round the farmery at convenient times ; and that the poultry may have ingress and egress from that 

 side as well as the other. 



2682. Poultry houses are generally slight structures for rearing and feeding domestic 

 fowls. Beatson (Com. to the Board of Jg. vol. i.) is of opinion, that poultry ought 

 always to be confined, but not in a close, dark, diminutive hovel, as is often the case ; 

 they should have a spacious airy place, properly constructed for them. Some people are 

 of opinion, that each sort of poultry should be kept by itself. This, however, is not, 

 he says, absolutely necessary, for all sorts may be kept promiscuously together, provided 

 they have a place sufficiently large to accommodate them conveniently, and proper divi- 

 sions and nests for each kind to retire to separately, which they will naturally do of 

 themselves. Wakefield of Liverpool keeps a large stock of turkeys, geese, hens, and 

 ducks, all in the same place : and although young turkeys are in general considered so 

 difficult to bring up, he rears great numbers of them in this manner every season, with 

 little or no trouble whatever. For this purpose he has about three quarters, or near a 



