500 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



KACKS AND FEED BOXES. 



Stock enjoys sunshine and out-door air as 

 well as human beings, and neither one nor the 

 other should be deprived of the luxury. But 

 our barn-yards are often unfit places to feed 

 hay, straw or stalks ; and if fed there, much 

 is often wasted. Might not cheap racks and 

 boxes be provided for this purpose, such as 

 every farmer's boy can make, which, with fod- 

 der at present prices, will pay? In reply to 

 this question, we copy the following article 

 and illustrations from a late number of the 

 liural New Yorker: — 



FiGDRE 1. 



We first notice Fig. 1. Though old, it can- 

 not be too highly recommended. The pecu- 

 liarity is that a i'ew animals can quietly eat from 

 it at the same time ; therefore, to have all 

 quiet in the barn-yard, provide racks for the 

 accommodation of all stock at the same time, 

 thus placing the weaker on an equal footing 

 with the stronger in respect to the allowance 

 of food to each. Place the rack under shel- 

 ter, although the general health of the animals 

 would be greatly improved if the arrange- 

 ments were such as to f^ed them in opon air 

 on pleasant days, and under shelter during in- 

 clement weather. The heaviness of the racks 

 prevents their being carried to and fro. This 

 may be obviated by providing a double num- 

 ber of them, or making, in thu open air, one 

 similar to that shown in Fig. 2. A pale, B, is 



Figure 2. 



pole B, rest poles whose lower ends are driven 

 in the ground, crossing each other at the an- 

 gle shown. Hay, straw, corn stalks and other 

 coarse fodder are thrown in the rack. No spe- 

 cific length or size can be given ; it should be 

 governed by the size of the animals desired 

 to feed from it. 



A still chiaper plan of rack is given in Fig. 

 3. Through the space between the third and 

 fourth rails of a common board fence is placed 

 a number of small poles, secured in the ground 

 at the opposite side. For keeping apart the 



_i?g>. 



Figure 3. 



poles any desired distance, bits of boards are 

 nailed on. They should extend and be nailed 

 to the fourth board. Hay is placed between 

 the fence and upper portion of the rack. 



Feed Boxes. 

 During the f^U and winter many farmers 

 feed their cattle on cut straw, roots grain, 

 &c., for the purpose of fattening; and in a 

 pecuniary point of view it is profitable. Cat- 

 tle during the winter and spring are greatly 

 benefited by an occasional mess of cut hay or 

 roots. 



;:;biiiUisioi:!i{i:g;Ki|,|ijj;ilifl|iiiilililiu;!ii:{iiiUi;ihi;iiimuiii 





aiiLbiiifeiifijii'iifejiiiiiLbaiiiiffi 





supported near its ends upon crotched sticks 

 driven firmly in the ground ; across the top of 



Figure 4. 



Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a feed box, 

 cf a length equal to the dibtance apart of the 

 posti to which it is fceoured by nailing ; the 

 bottom boird is one foot wide ; sides one foot 

 high, sloping outward as indicated by the end 

 pieces; p;iititions will be necessary when 

 more than two are fed at the .«ame time. Of- 

 ten it is not convenient to feed under shelter ; 



