110 THE EQUIPMENT OF THE FARM. 



necessary (as by chaff-cutting) to ensure close packing. And, 

 remaining under pressure here during the autumn months 

 or even longer, the contents of these silos (green rye, 

 clover, grasses, &c.) become available for cattle food in a 

 palatable and nutritive form, long after they have been 

 thus packed away. Or such silos may be provided above 

 ground, as Mr. H. Woods of Merton, Norfolk, has pointed 

 out. Old barns and other disused out-buildings may be 

 turned to account in this way the existing walls with added 

 transverse mason-work being all that is necessary to form 

 the air-tight pit which when supplemented with heavy 

 pressure at top is all that is required. 



Further Details. The inside details of farm buildings 

 are of considerable importance. Formerly, we constructed 

 ;all mangers of blue bricks, specially made for the purpose ; 

 these, though of great durability, were costly. We have 

 now discovered a much cheaper and an equally suitable 

 substitute in the shape of fire-clay troughs 6 feet 6 inches 

 long, of sufficient width and depth. Two lengths suffice for 

 a double standing, the ends butting together form a central 

 division, thereby insuring each animal its own share of the 

 food. Where stone is plentiful and cheap, no more suitable 

 material can be used as a heel-stone. Bricks on edge, either 

 blue or common, suit the purpose, though much less durable 

 than good stone. The space from the wall to the face of the 

 .gripstone with gutter, should drop 4 inches. This is much 

 safer than where a deep narrow grip is formed. Brick- 

 paving, owing to its slippery nature, is objectionable .; and 

 unless laid on a bed of concrete, and set in cement, it forms 

 a lodgment for urine and other objectionable matters, which 

 in time set up chemical action ; and the evolution of gases 



