On Box-feeding icith Linseed Compounds. 4^77 



and the most convenient way of doing so will be, first to describe 

 the several arrangfements there in use, makinof such observations 

 upon each as appear necessary ; and then to describe the mode of 

 feeding, with a like commentary. 



1st. The arrangements for Box -feeding. 



The cattle-boxes are roughly and cheaply formed, but they appear 

 well calculated for their object. They are arranged on three sides 

 of an old farm-yard, the fourth side being occupied by the barn ; 

 and in the centre of the quadrangle, facing the barn door, stands 

 the sti^aw shed, and near to it is the pump. The cooking -house, 

 having two iron boilers, one of 50 the other of 30 gallons, is in one 

 angle, accessible from all the boxes ; and in another angle is the 

 forage-house, in which stands the chaff-cutting machine, where 

 clover, grass, hay, straw, and forage of ail kinds, are cut into chaff 

 ready for use. This likewise communicates with the cattle-boxes ; 

 and near it is the root-house, in which turnips, carrots, mangel- 

 wurzel, or potatoes, are stored for use as required. The cooking, 

 forage, and root-houses, are all formed out of old portions of the 

 premises, which were previously used for other purposes, but they 

 answer their present object perfectly. There is likewise a small 

 room adjoining the cooking-house, in which stands the crushing- 

 machine, for grinding or crushing the flax seed into fine meal. 



The foregoing constitute the entire of the offices in connexion 

 with the cattle-boxes, and nothing can be more simple and unpre- 

 tending than the whole of the arrangements, or more obviously 

 formed with a view to convenience and economy. The boxes 

 themselves vary somewhat in size, but they are in general about 

 8J feet square, inside measure. Some of them, however, were 

 8 feet by 10. They are enclosed next the yard by a roughly- 

 made double gate the whole width of the box. One half the gate 

 moves on hinges, the other half is bolted to the frame-work ; but 

 both are readily opened for removing the manure, or any other 

 purpose. At the inner end of the boxes, and running the length of 

 the entire range, there is a passage about 3 feet wide for the con- 

 venience of feeding and attending to the cattle. This passage is 

 separated from the stalls by the crib or trough in which the food 

 is deposited, and which is capable of being raised or lowered for 

 the animal's convenient feeding, according to the height of the 

 bedding at bottom of the box. 



The boxes standing in the same range are separated from each 

 other by three rough rails, secured to the upright posts which 

 support the roof; the space between the upper and middle rail 

 being greater than between it and the lower, to allow of the bul- 

 locks putting their heads through when moving about the box, 

 and thus to tread the bedding close to the rails, making the 



