HOUSING AND FEEDING OF CATTLE. 105 
feelings towards himself, as an evidence that his endeavours 
had in some measure been successful. As the act was almost 
unprecedented in any educational establishment, after so 
short a service, so might it afford reason for higher exertions. 
Before he sat down, he could not forego the pleasure of 
assuring them how much he felt he was indebted to those 
who were fellow workers with him — to the Professors of the 
College — who he was sure would agree with him, that their 
duties were rendered comparatively easy, by the gentlemanly 
conduct of the students themselves, who, feeling that they 
were treated like gentlemen, acted as became the character, 
affording a noble and a convincing answer to the absurd libel 
which asserted agricultural pursuits to be incompatible with 
gentlemanly conduct.” The Rev. Gentleman resumed his 
seat amid the most general and hearty expressions of approval. 
The healths of the Chairman, Professors, and Members of the 
Committee, &c., followed, and the evening will long be re- 
membered as unalloyed by a single adverse circumstance — 
remembered, we say it emphatically, as an epoch in the 
history of the Royal Agricultural College. 
THE HOUSING AND FEEDING OF CATTLE. 
At one of the discussional meetings of the Highland and 
Agricultural Society, Mr. Gow, of Raith, remarked on this 
subject as follows : — 
a In the last fifteen years I have housed and fed upwards 
of 1200 cattle, besides having been intrusted with the con- 
structing of numerous straw yards, byres, & c. In treating 
of the subjects under discussion, I shall, in the first place, 
with reference to the housing, consider the merits of three 
methods, viz., feeding-byres, feeding yards, and feeding 
loose-boxes. Feeding-byres should only contain one row of 
cattle, standing crossways in the direction of the side walls. 
There ought to be passages, both before and behind, for the 
convenience of the feeder in laying the food before them and 
clearing the dung away, &c. Troughs at the heads of the 
animals are also necessary, and these may either be made 
of pavement, cast-iron, or dressed stone, for containing 
roots, corn, or cake, with racks immediately above them for 
fodder. The walls should be a good height for the roof — say 
eight or nine feet ; and the latter, if made of tiles, should 
have the second row from the ridge raised up four inches at 
