STA 



STA 



somewhat longer than the stack, is j beasts come as regularly to market 



furnished at each end with an iron 

 ring or hoop, large enougli to admit 

 the upright poles and to pass Ireeiy 

 upon them. Near the head of each 

 of tlie standards is a pulley (c, c), over 

 which a rope is passed from the ring 

 or end of the horizontal pole, by 

 which it is easily raised or lowered 

 to suit the given lieiglit of the stack. 

 A cloth being now thrown over the 

 horizontal pole, and its lower mar- 



in winter as m s\mimer. Stall feed- 

 mg is now the principal means by 

 whicli oxen and cows are rendered 

 fit for the market. 



" It has been oi)served in the arti- 

 cle Soilniir, that one object of that 

 system was to save the waste of foo.^ 

 which is occasioned by the treading 

 of cattle in pastures, and by tlieir 

 choosing the sweetest grasses to the 

 neglect of the coarser. The princi- 



gins loaded with weights, a complete pal object, however, is to save the 



roof is formed and neatly fitted to 

 the stack, whether it lie high or low, 

 wide or narrow ; tiie eaves being al- 

 ways adjusted to tiie wall plate, or 

 upper part of the stem of the stack ; 

 thus effectually shooting off rain wa- 

 ter, while the internal moisture, or 

 steam, escapes freely at either end as 

 the wind may happen to blow. This 

 contrivance is readily put up or ta- 

 ken away ; the poles being light, are 



manure, which in the pastures goes 

 to waste, but in the yards or stall is 

 all preserved. In stall feeding an- 

 other object is looked to, that of in- 

 creasing the substance of the animal, 

 especially the fat ; and to do this'ju- 

 diciously and with profit requires 

 much experience and attention. It 

 has been proved that animals require 

 a certain portion of meat and drink 

 to keep them alive, and that this quan- 



easily moved from stack to stack, or jtity, in the same species, is, in gen- 



laid up for another season, and the 

 wheels are readily removed or re- 

 turned to their axles." — {Loudon.) 



STADDLES. The contents of 

 haycocks spread out in circles of five 

 or six vards to dry. 



STAKE AND RICE. A fence 

 made of stakes driven into the ground 

 with branches intertwined. 



STAG. Sometimes used for a 

 young horse. 



STAGGERS. Apoplexy. See 

 Horse, Diseases of. 



STALL FEEDING. The feeding 

 of cattle in stalls for the purpose of 

 fattening them more readily than by 

 simple grazing, and at a time when 

 they cannot get fat on pastures, as a 

 regular part of the process of hus- 

 bandry, is comparatively modern. In 

 former times cattle were slaughtered 

 in October and November, which lat- 

 ter, in most languages derived from 

 the Teutonic, is called Slaughter 

 month ; there being no possibility of 

 buying fresh meat of any degree of 

 fatness during winter, and salt meat 

 was the food of all classes in that 

 season. But now the process of fat- 

 tening cattle goes on without inter- 

 ruption during the whole year, and fat 

 754 



eral, in proportion to the weight of 

 the animal. If an animal has his ex- 

 act ration of food, he will continue in 

 health, but he will not increase in 

 weight : in this case, therefore, it 

 only produces a certain portion of 

 manure, which is not equivalent to 

 the food consumed. If a larger quan- 

 tity be given, the animal, if in health, 

 will increase in weight, and the more 

 food he has, within a certain limit, 

 the faster will be this increase : but 

 there is a point where increase stops ; 

 and if by any means the animal is in- 

 duced to take more, his stomach will 

 be deranged, and he will become dis- 

 eased, and occasion loss by over- 

 feeding. It is consequently of great 

 importance to the stall feeder to as- 

 certain what is the exact quantity 

 of food which it will be most prof- 

 itable to give to a stall-fed animal. 

 Experience alone can teach this ; 

 but some rules may be given which 

 will enable any one who wishes to 

 stall feed cattle not greatly to err 

 in his mode of feeding, and soon to 

 find out what is the most profitable 

 course to pursue. For this purpose, 

 it is essential that, after having as- 

 certained by experiment the quantity 



