204 MANNER OF FEEDING. 



wasted. "When once filled, it requires no more trouble, as the grain 

 falls into the receiver below as the fowls pick it away ; and the covers 

 on that, which are opened by the perches, (the principles of which 

 we do not understand,) and the cover on the top, protect the grain 

 from rain, so that the fowls always get it quite dry ; and as nothing 

 less than the weight of a hen on the perch can lift the cover on the 

 lower receiver, rats and mice (which are very troublesome when 

 grain is fed in the ordinary way,) are excluded. It is astonishing, too, 

 with what facility the fowls learn to leap upon the perches, and so 

 open the cover of the receiver, which presents the gram to their view 

 and within their reach. On their leaving the perch or platform, the 

 door, either by a spring or weight, closes at once. 



It is barely possible that the reader will fully understand the 

 exact manner in which this feeder is made, in the absence of a 

 cut, which I omitted to procure, in consequence of the great 

 and unusual number of other engravings that I have had 

 executed for this work. 



The principle by which the weight of the fowl is made to 

 open the lids to the receiver, was not fully explained, but the 

 genius of our people will soon find a way to etfect that object. 



Mr. Bement constructed one differing somewhat from that 

 spoken of by the Highland Society, which he thus describes : 



This feeding hopper is four-square, two feet each way posts eighteen 

 inches long and two inches square. The upper section of the box is 

 six inches deep, and the sides are morticed into or nailed to the posts. 

 From the bottom of this square, the slanting part or tunnel reaches 

 to within half an inch of the floor, which should be six inches from 

 the ground ; the tunnel tap'ers from two to one feet ; and in order to 

 bring the grain within reach of the fowls, a cone is placed in the 

 centre, as much smaller than the hopper as to leave half an inch 

 space all around, which conducts the grain to the edge, where, as the 

 fowls pick the g^rain away, more will fail, and keep a constant supply 

 as long as any is left in the hopper. The slats on the sides prevent 

 the fowls from getting in or crowding one another. This fountain 

 will hold two bushels or more of grain, and protects it from wet, and 

 in a measure from rats. It occupies but little room, and from sixteen 

 to twenty fowls can feed at the same time. 



To protect the grain more effectually from rats and mice, we would 

 suggest that the posts be made some two feet longer, and a platform 

 of boards about one foot wide, placed round, and fitted close up to 

 the bottom, so that mice cannot climb up the posts and get in. This 

 platform will be necessary for them to stand on when eating. 



All matter pertaining to the feeding of fowls, I consider very 

 important, and I think that I cannot better serve the interests 

 of my readers, than by making copious extracts of interesting 

 matter. The following are selections from the journals of the 

 day : 



