SELF-CLEANING STABLE. 



All dairymen would like to be relieved of the daily labor of cleaning the stable, 

 and especially would prize a device that will keep the cow clean, insuring clean and 

 wholesome milk. There have been various plans of using a gutter behind cows or 

 cattle ; but in all of them the cow was liable to get soiled on the flank, and the tail 

 would fall into the gutter, and render the milking disagreeable and the milk foul. 

 If, therefore, a platform can be made, which requires nothing to aid it in keeping 

 the cow clean, provides for her comfort, is self-acting, durable and cheap, there 

 would seem to be little left to accomplish in this matter. 



The Self -Cleaning Grating 



Invented by Prof. E. W. Stewart, does all this, and has been in use in his octagonal 

 barn basement for the last five years, accommodating forty cows. The wooden 

 part of the platform is situated next the manger, 3 feet 4 inches wide, and is usually 

 raised 8 to 12 inches above the basement floor. Behind this is the iron grating, rest- 

 ing on the back side of the gutter. Fig. 1. The gutter or receptacle for manure is 

 under this iron grating, and is made of such depth as is desired, usually about 16 

 inches below the floor, and raised 8 inches above the floor, making a depth of 2 

 feet. This depth is convenient for shoveling out manure when carrying to field. 

 This reservoir is concreted or otherwise made tight, so as to hold all the liquid 

 manure. If the widih of the cow's stall is 3 feet 2 inches, and the gutter is 3 feet 

 wide, it will hold nearly one yard under each animal. This will hold the droppings 

 of a large cow for about four weeks. The iron joists are placed 18^ inches apart, 

 if the stall is to be 3 feet 2 inchea wide, across these at right angles are laid 

 wrought-iion bars, one and a half inches wide. There are 11 of these flat bars 

 placed one and five-eighth inches apart, which makes the grating 3 feet 3 inches 

 wide. 



The animal should stand with the fore-feet upon the plank, and the hind feet 

 upon the flat iron bars. Fig. 2. The droppings fall directly through the openings 

 into the gutter below, when the manure is thin ; and in winter, when dry food is 

 given, the droppings fall through from the treading of the hind feet, so as to keep 

 the bars clear of manure. The cow stands across the bars, and has always two 

 bars to stand upon ; some large cow's feet reaching the third bar. Cows that have 

 stood on this grating, for five years, have been very healthy with no trouble from 

 the feet. 



The plan which is preferred, is to build the wall of the receptacle for manure as 

 high as the under side of the grating, and let the back side of the grating rest upon this 

 wall. Fig. 1. The front side of the grating is fastened to the wooden platform by 

 eye-bolts, and turns up. See Fig. 3. 



This grating, made of the best wrought-iron (weighs about 100 Ibs. per cow), 

 strong enough to hold cattle of any weight, all ready to be screwed by the eye-bolts 

 to the wooden platform, will be shipped at $6.00 per cow. This low price is now 

 made for the purpose of introducing it among dairymen. 



