WINTER FKEDING OF LIVE STOCK. 583 



laid away until the next steaming day. We cut and steam on Satur- 

 days, and fire up again, t\H- steaming only, on Wednesdays. The 

 cut fodder is thoroughly wetted, and has the allowance of bran or 

 meal well mixed through it. It is then put through the hatchway 

 into the chamber and trampled down. Three or four times 

 during the filling of the box, the steam is turned on and allowed 

 to flow until it appears at the hatchway. This serves to soften 

 the mass and allow it to pack more closely. When the chamber 

 is quite full, the hatch is closed and keyed down, and a full head 

 of steam is allowed to flow until it blows out hot from the slight 

 openings about the hatch and the lower door. This usually takes 

 from an hour and a half to two hours, — generally in the evening. 

 The steam is then turned off and the mass is allowed to cook 

 itself, by the accumulated heat, until morning, when any musti- 

 ness or mouldiness of the long fodder is destroyed, and the whole 

 is permeated with the flavor and odor of the bran or meal mixed 

 with it. 



The above-described operation is very simple, and only requires 

 precaution on two points : — 



1. The steaming-box or chamber must have a weak point at 

 which the steam may find its way out without straining the 

 permanent parts. This will usually supply itself in a little im- 

 perfection of fitting about the doors. 



2. The fodder must be well moistened before it is put into 

 the chamber, for ilry hay will not cook. 



My chamber, which has a capacity of about 425 cubic feet, 

 holds, if packed full, enough food to supply my whole stock 

 for rather more than four days. It is made with matched spruce 

 flooring nailed on both sides of 6-inch joists, and to the under 

 side of the floor-joists above. The spaces above and on the four 

 sides are packed full with sawdust. The floor is covered with 

 galvanized iron, with soldered joints, turned up a little at the 

 sides. On the bottom 3x4 joists are laid, and on these there are 

 loose strips of board about six inches wide, laid with half-inch 

 spaces between them. The steam is admitted below this loose 

 bottom and rises through its spaces. 



