11 Practical Agriculture. 501 = 235 
m the troughs and the mean space in stalls may be taken at 
-0 square feet per ox. These dimensions apply to cattle of 
aature age, in process of fattening, or yielding milk ; though 
n many cases much larger areas are given ; and full-grown 
lereford and Shorthorn oxen of course require more room 
ban smaller varieties of dairy cows and young stock. 
A convenient width of building for stalls is 18i feet within 
he walls ; which gives a feeding-passage at the head, 4^ feet ; a 
eeding and drinking-trough, 2^ feet ; the stall or standing-, 7^ 
eet ; gutter, 1 foot; back-walk, 3 feet. Cows tied up in pairs 
lave commonly a stall of 7^ feet width, and fattening bullocks 
n pairs, a width of 8 feet. 
For boxes, the most economical breadth of building is about 
feet, allowing for two rows of boxes of 10 feet each, with a 
-leet feeding-passage between, and each box may measure 10 
»y 9 leet. The floors of the boxes lie 1 to 2 feet lower than the 
irdinary floor-level of the farm buildings. 
The cheapest form of house for a large number of cattle is Arrangemeuts 
)robably one in which the animals are placed in two rows, fittings of 
vith a feeding-passage between. One of the best examples of 
uch an arrangement, with central tramway and contrivance for 
Imost automatic distribution of the food, is that of Mr. Edmund 
luck, at Braden, in Wiltshire. 
. Cattle require cleanliness and convenience, but not artistic 
)eauty in the fittings of their buildings ; and hence some deco- 
ative fancies of architects or amateurs in farm-buildings may 
)e considered an entirely misplaced outcome of extravagance in 
lesigning. Feeding-troughs of rough brick or of coarsely tooled 
tone will do ; and slate, or smoothly-moulded cement linings 
lire an improvement. Mr. Bailey Denton, however, prefers 
•arthenware lining for the purpose of keeping the trough in the 
leanest condition. Water-troughs are best furnished by a self- 
upplying system ; and these troughs should be emptied once a 
lay by a plug or tap, to discharge the stale contents, which are 
ised to wash down the stall. 
On the value of covered yards, of which a large number now Covered yards. 
!xist in many parts of England, I cannot do better than quote 
he experience of Mr. Henry Howman, of Halloughton, Coleshill. 
a paper read to the Midland Farmers' Club, Mr. Howman said, 
'One difficulty to be contended against in making manure under 
"over is to get sufficient moisture to prevent it getting fine-fanged ; 
ind, when an abundance of long straw is put into the yards for 
itter, this evil is apt to take place, and the manure becomes so 
ight and dry that it has to be carted out into a heap to allow 
he rain to moisten it and make it tender enough to be ploughed 
nto the land, — by this very act, and the consequent washing 
