SUPERIORITY OF THE BOX-FEEDING SYSTEM. 



163 



feet from the bottom of the boxes to the surface. A wall of 

 brick-work four inches wide and two feet high is next to be 

 built round the inside of the part excavated^ and intersected at 

 distances of eight feet and a half. At each angle the brick- 

 work should be about nine or twelve inches square^ which will 

 both support the posts and afford strength and durability. 

 Upon the wall a sill of wood is next to be placed, for which 

 purpose large poles, either squared or split, are adapted. The 

 foundation being now complete, posts six feet long, and the 

 necessary sills and ties, may be placed upon it. Across the ties 

 the most ordinary poles may be laid to support a roof composed 

 of the trimmings from hedges and ditches, and completed with 

 a thatch of straw or rushes. Two gates, according to the draw- 

 ing, must be added to each box ; one of which is to move on 

 hinges, and the other to be secured to the top and bottom sills 

 of the building, so as to be taken down at pleasure. Presuming 

 that we have taken advantage of a barn or other walls on farm 

 premises, the external part is finished. The internal has merely 

 to be parted off with a few poles between each bullock, and the 

 passage separated by the cribs, which are to move up and down 

 between the interior posts, which are placed upon the angles of 

 each box and support the roof on the passage-side. 



The superiority of box-feeding and summer-grazing over 

 any other system, I shall attempt to point out next week ; in 

 the mean time, I offer the following questions for the calm 

 consideration of all interested persons ; and I hope their calcu- 

 lations will be made with the aid of pen and ink, that when 

 mine shall appear they may be compared, squared, and the 

 balance drawn, and then, I feel persuaded that the account 

 will preponderate much in my favour. But there is a spirit 

 in some men worse than prejudice, which I do not expect to 

 overcome, nor shall I make the attempt. Time is the best 

 developer of all things. 



1st. What are the advantages to be obtained by feeding 

 cattle in boxes, with turnips, and with or without the addition 

 of artificial food ? 



2nd. With grass, with or without the addition of artificial 

 food? 



M 2 



