No. 14. 



Stall Feedins: Cattle. 



227 



fastened on with one continued band, by 

 splicing it at every hand-lull as men- 

 tioned; the operator still moving backward 

 all the time. He must proceed with the 

 second course, going back to the same end of 

 the building where lie iirst began; he there 

 begins in the same manner, only turning the 

 straw the other end up, which will cover the 

 first course entirely down to the eaves, and so 

 continue with butts up in every course after 

 the first to the top of the building. When 

 both sides are done in this manner, secure the 

 comb by laying a course of straw along and 

 a light pole on each side to keep it there, or 

 any other mode tliat may suggest. 



The straw should be all dampened un- 

 less the weather is damp and cloudy. I 

 see no reason why the grass mentioned in 

 thy communication should notanswer as well 

 as rye straw after being thoroughly cured. 

 Ice houses are almost entirely covered with 

 straw in our country, on account of the rays 

 of the sun not heating straw a,s much as a 

 wooden roof. Having thrown these hints to- 

 gether in haste for thy own private use, I 

 conclude witii respect. 



sell for two hundred dollars, if sold off the 

 grass ; this I considered a fair price, but, be- 

 ing disposed to stall-feed for more profit, I 

 had them put in the stalls about the first of 

 November, 1836, and sold them about the 

 middle of February, following, when beef 

 was selling "high" in market. I sold them 

 at 9 cents per lb. with the allowance of 60 lbs. 

 to the 100, for beef — which is about the same 

 as 5 1-3 cts., on the live weight — my account 

 is as follows : 



Dr. 

 4 Cattle worth - - $200 00 



o 1-2 Tons of hay at 12 00 - 06 00 



102 Bus. of corn at 90 - 91 80 



28 " of oats at 45 - 12 60 



370 40 

 Interest on the above, for 3 1-2 mos. 6 24 



$376 64 



Or. 



4 Cattle sold for - - - $300 00 

 Manure, exclusive of the littering 15 00 



To the Etlitorof the Faimfis' Cabiiut. 



Mr. Editor. — Whilst I appreciate your 

 Cabinet as the vehicle of valuable informa- 

 tion for farmers, I cannot but fear it has a 

 tendency to mislead some in their estimates 

 of the profits of agriculture generally. There 

 are, undoubtedly, some choice spots of ground, 

 very productive, and profitable to their own- 

 ers; of which, we do not fail being told, 

 tlirough the medium of agricultural publica- 

 tions, and, in some instances, the accounts are 

 greatly exaggerated. There are very many 

 farmers in Chester county,which, by the by, is 

 one of the most fertile in our state, who bare- 

 ly receive reasonable remuneration for their 

 labor, — who, if tliey would give us a correct 

 detail of their fanning operations, would 

 present quite a different picture when con- 

 trasted with those before mentioned. 



Tiie profits of agriculture will be found to 

 be very moderate, if the estimate be made 

 for five or ten years together. 



STALL FEEDING CATTLE. 



In a former number of the Cabinet I gave 

 a hint that I might give some account of stall- 

 feeding cattle; I sliall only make a statement 

 of facts, as they occurred with me, and shall 

 be obliged to any more experienced feeder, if 

 he will show me, wherein I could have done 

 better (with the single exception of having 

 sold my cattle ofi'the grass, which in that in- 

 Btance, I think, would have been the more 

 Profitable.) 



I ascertained that two yokes of oxen would 



Loss 



315 00 

 61 64 



$376 64 



The grain was measured carefully — the 

 hay was estimated by taking portions out of 

 the racks, at different times, and weighing 

 them. Upon an average, they had, each 

 28 lbs. per day. I have no doubt of its being 

 pretty nearly correct; therefore, it appears 

 that I have lost nearly the amount of tlie hay 

 by stall-feeding the cattle ; which verified 

 the truth of the saying, "you need not expect 

 to get any thing for your hay." 



Beef is now lower in price than it was this 

 time last year, and grain could have been 

 sold since harvest at the high prices — What 

 will the profits be this winter l Farmers, 

 keep good accounts, and let us hear through 

 vhe medium of the Cabinet. 



I should be very happy in communicating 

 any knowledge that I possess, relative to 

 farming or stock, were 1 persuaded, that in 

 so doing, I would confer any thing useful on 

 the farming community — but, unfortunately, 

 many of us are quite deficient in that kind of 

 knowledge which would tend to profit, did 

 we but possess it. In this as in other tilings, 

 let us "go ahead." Intelligence is as useful, 

 and, very probably, as powerful as money. 

 Patent scales are being erected in different 

 parts of our country ; these will afford to 

 farmers, the means of ascertaining the weigiit 

 of their cattle when fatted — much is lost to 

 the unskilful farmer by tlie erroneous e.-ti- 

 inate of the weight of his cattle, sometiiiies 



