2«>, 7, 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



^^^^^jg^^^^g^%S 



J'ICf.2, 



Sbeep'Racks. 



The above plan of a sheep rack, an im- 

 provement of Mr. Jolin Powers, of Urbana, 

 Steuben county, N. Y., an intelligent and 

 experienced wool grower, is highly approved 

 in that part of the country. For convenience, 

 simplicity of structure, and durability, we 

 think it the best we have ever seen. It 

 takes the precedence here of all others. 

 The draft we took from one in Mr. Powers' 

 yard. This rack is composed of a frame of 

 four posts and eight horizontal pieces, on 

 which are nailed upright slats, and a board 

 around the bottom. Fig. 1 represents this 

 frame, and fig. 2 a front and end view of the 

 rack after it is finished. 



Frame, 11 feet long by 2^ feet wide from 

 outside to outside. 



Posts {a. a. a. a. fig. 1) 3J feet high, made 

 of three inch scantling. 



Horizontal pieces {b. b. c. c.) at the sides and 

 ends made of stuff three inches wide and an 

 inch and a halt thick, framed into the posts 

 by boring with an inch and a half auger, and 

 inserting a round tenant, the flat side up. 

 The shoulders of the tenant are cut on the 

 jnside as represented by /, so that when put 

 together the slats will be even with the outer 

 edge of the posts. The lower side pieces 

 are 11 inches from the bottom of the posts — 

 the lower end pieces 8 inches. The upper 

 side and end pieces 2 feet above these from 

 center to center of the tenants. 



The slats, (e. e. e. fig. 2,) 6 inches wide, 

 made of three quarter or five eights stuff, 

 nailed on with six-penny nails, 6 inches 



apart, thus making a space of just one foot 

 for each sheep, with sufficient room for in- 

 serting the head between the slats; at the 

 ends, two of these are placed together in the 

 center, making interstices of 6 inches between 

 them and the posts. 



The hoUom board, {A. A. fig. 2,) 9 to 12 

 inches wide — the top edge comes up 13 

 inches from the bottom of the posts, covering 

 the horizontal pieces and the lower ends of 

 the slats ; it is nailed firm on to the posts and 

 the horizontal pieces. 



As the space at the sides is just ten feet 

 ?i.\ inches in the clear between the posts, 

 tliere are eleven interstices of six inches 

 each — and the rack it will be perceived will 

 accommodate 26 sheep — ekvcn on each side, 

 and two at each end. It is of such a height 

 that the sheep will not jump into it ; the fod- 

 der is so secured that it is not trampled un- 

 der foot, and wasted, but may be eat up 

 clean. The rack, it will readily be per- 

 ceived, is very simple and ea.«y of construc- 

 tion ; any person with the least share of me- 

 chanical ingenuity, who can handle a saw, 

 an auger, and a hammer, can make one. It 

 is strong, and not subject to be racked to 

 pieces; light and easy to be removed from 

 place to place; convenient for the use for 

 which it is designed, and, if properly ta- 

 ken care of, placed under shelter during 

 that part of the year when it is not want- 

 ed, will last for a great many years. We 

 would recommended to all who raise sheep, 

 and who regard economy in the use of fod- 

 der as important, a rack of this construc- 

 tion. — Genesee Farmer. 



