4 PREFACE. 



These extended to 41 articles, and mapped out the 

 frame-work of the book. But the author drew also, 

 to some extent, upon articles which he had written 

 for the Country Gentleman, and Rural New Yorker, 

 and perhaps other papers, using these in the details of 

 the book. 



The first three chapters were written last, as neces- 

 sary preliminary knowledge to the full understanding 

 of the discussions of the work. 



Chemical research has thrown much light upon the 

 feeder's art, and the author has endeavored to give the 

 latest and fullest analyses of grasses, forage plants, 

 grains, and by-products of grains, used as stock foods, 

 to be found in any one book extant. 



Stock barns have become so important an element 

 in successful stock-feeding, that the author has given a 

 pretty thorough discussion of this topic, with full illus- 

 trations of the octagonal form of barn. The principles 

 of feeding are discussed in a separate chapter; then 

 each class of stock is taken up separately, and the 

 method of feeding and management from birth to 

 commercial age fully explained. A chapter on Dairy 

 Cattle goes into the selection and management of this 

 very important class of farm stock. 



The author has not ventured into the discussion 

 of veterinary remedies, contenting himself with the 

 description of a few simple water remedies, endeav- 

 oring to impress the reader with the necessity of 

 preventing diseases rather than of curing them. 



