On Box-feeding with Linseed Com-pounds. 



470 



where cows or cattle are scarcely ever seen in the field, their farm- 

 buildings are arranged in every variety of form, two essentials, 

 however, being invariably attended to, namely — the comfort of the 

 animals, and the preservation of every particle of manure, both 

 liquid and solid ; and these are the essentials to which our English 

 farmers must attend, if they wish their cattle to thrive and their 

 farms to be productive. 



The sfraio-shed is an important part of the establishment in box- 

 feeding, straw being required for litter, as well as occasionally for 

 chaff in forming the compounds. The size of the straw-shed 

 must depend on the size of the farm, and the number of cattle; 

 but as the large quantity of rich manure obtained by box-feeding 

 will enable the farmer to keep a considerably larger extent of land 

 under tillage, the size of the shed should not be limited to the 

 quantity of straw at present raised on the farm, but it ought to be 

 sufficiently large to receive the additional quantity to be raised 

 hereafter, under a better system of management. 



The floor of the shed should be sunk 5 feet below the ground, 

 and the sides walled up 3 feet above it, leaving a space at one angle 

 for a door. This will economize space, and the straw may be more 

 easily thrown in than if the shed were built on the surface. It will 

 allow likewise of the straw being trodden down occasionally by a 

 horse, to compress it into a smaller space, and the closer it is 

 packed the better it will keep. Uprights 6 feet long are placed 

 on the walls to support the roof, and the eaves should project well 

 beyond the walls to throw off the rain. The shed will thus be 14 

 feet high from the bottom to the roof, and may be of such length 

 and width as the farmer thinks fit. 



The cooking, crushing, forage, and root-houses require no expla- 

 nation, their names importing the uses to which they are respect- 

 ively applied, and also indicating the most eligible size and situa- 

 tion for the several objects. The crushing -machine and the 

 chaff-cutting machine may each be worked by horse, steam, or 

 water-power, if such exists on the farm, or if it be deemed de- 

 sirable to provide either for this or other objects. 



The foregoing brief descriptions will, it is hoped, be sufficient 

 for conveying a tolerably distinct notion of the premises and ap- 

 pliances required for box- feeding ; and I will now, in like manner, 

 describe the mode of feeding, and the general management to be 

 observed. 



2ndly. The mode of feeding. 



Linseed must never be given to the cattle singly, nor without 

 being first ground into meal. If given singly, it would be too rich 



