Oa Box-feeding loith Linseed Compounds. 



485 



adjuncts, are still not essentials — the system resting upon the 

 cattle-compounds, by the use of which feeding can be carried on 

 uninterruptedly winter and summer, in the best and cheapest 

 manner. 



It may, perhaps, be further said, that in sheds and stalls as 

 usually formed, the cattle being tied up and prevented from 

 moving about, will fatten faster, and may be kept cleaner. That 

 fresh bedding every day, or every second day, will be more 

 wholesome for the animals than w here it is permitted to go on 

 accumulating for a length of time, as such accumulations would 

 be liable to emit noxious effluvia in the process of fermentation, 

 which might prove injurious to the animals. 



These and similar objections may very possibly be raised, and 

 may have more or less weight with intelligent persons, who have 

 not had an opportunity of witnessing the system of box-feeding 

 herein described. 



With respect to the first objection — whether results equally 

 satisfactory might not be obtained by house-feeding in the usual 

 manner, I am not prepared to speak with confidence. Possibly 

 the animals might thrive as well, if similarly fed ; but I cannot 

 assert that they would, neither can I say they would not. Ex- 

 perience must settle the point ; and where stalls already exist on 

 a farm, the obvious course will be to use them, feeding the animals 

 with the compounds as herein directed. But, in order to test the 

 relative merits of stalls and boxes, a few of the latter should be 

 prepared ; and if found to answer better than the stalls, with 

 respect to the cattle and the accumulation of manure, as I believe 

 will be the case, the number of boxes may then be increased at 

 discretion. 



With respect to the second and similar objections, I can only 

 say that I saw no ground whatever for entertaining them when I 

 visited Trimingham. On the contrary, the boxes appeared clean, 

 sweet, and wholesome ; the cattle were evidently thriving in them, 

 there was no noxious effluvia, every particle of manure was pre- 

 served, and the general management appeared to answer perfectly 

 in every respect. And I may further add, that all inquiries 

 which I have since been enabled to make, confirm the impression 

 I then received of the perfect efficiency of the system for the 

 object contemplated. 



However the cattle may be fed, whether in stalls or in boxes, 

 the manure is always a matter of primary importance. This 

 really constitutes an essential part of the system ; for, unless the 

 manure be properly preserved, the largest amount of produce 



straw to keep them clean and comfortable ; but that in boxes the manure 

 is better made and preserved. II. S. TnoMrsox. 



VOL, Vlll. 2 K 



