1878.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
137 
ing shows a section, is made of pieces of 2x4 
scantling, and boards 7 inches wide. This gives a 
water space of 4 x 5 if the scantlings are set upon 
edge, and 2x4 if they 
are laid flat and the 
hoards overlap an inch 
and a half. The water¬ 
way may be made larger 
by hollowing a channel 
in the bottom. When 
stones can be procured, 
this drain is still to be 
recommended, because 
the stones can be placed 
above the boards, as shown in the illustration, and 
apermanent bottom is thus provided for the stones. 
When a large volume of water is escaping, both the 
upper and lower drains will be in action, and other¬ 
wise only the lower one. Should one of the drains be 
stopped, an outlet will be found through the other. 
SECTION OF DRAIN. 
Aids in Fence Building. 
One man, alone, finds it a difficult job to build a 
board fence, inasmuch as one pair of hands can not 
readily hold both ends of a twelve-foot board, and 
nail one end at the same time. 
By using the hooks shown in the 
accompanying engraving, this 
work may be easily done by one 
person. In the figure is shown 
a hook and guard for holding the 
end of the board that comes next 
to the finished panel. It is so 
made that, when hung upon the 
top of the fence post, the board 
rests upon the hook, and can not 
6lip off. Then the other end of 
the board is nailed, the middle is 
nailed, and then the end held upon 
the hook. The hook is then moved for the next 
place. To hang the rest of the boards, hooks, such 
as shown at the left, may be used, of various lengths 
to suit the different spaces between the boards. 
The uses of these are too obvious to need description. 
FENCE HOOKS. 
Covered Cattle Yards. 
As the feeding of cattle must necessarily become 
an important part of our system of agriculture, the 
6tudy of the hest methods of sheltering and feed¬ 
ing animals becomes of interest. This subject has 
long occupied the attention of English farmers who 
have been obliged, for the sake of economy of 
manure, and for the comfort and thrift of the 
stock, to furnish most complete covered yards in 
and held in place by blocks and braces ; this is to 
raise the roof so much more, and to provide a large 
6pace for ventilation. The rafters are 18 feet long 
and 3 x 21 inches thick. Portions of the roof are 
glazed to admit a plenty of light. The total cost 
of the whole building was less than 81,500. The 
space enclosed is nearly one thousand square yards, 
or nearly a quarter of an acre ; the cost of the whole 
building is less than a dollar and a half for each 
square yard enclosed. The interest on the total 
cost at 10 per cent, which would repay the whole 
with interest at 7 per cent in less than 20 years, is 
§150, or an annual charge of only two dollars per 
head of the stock accommodated. This cost is 
more than repaid by the increased value of the 
manure made, which has been found to be equal to 
50 per cent; and by the saving of feed consequent 
upon the greater comfort of the animals, and this 
has been found to be equal to one-eighth of the 
usual amount consumed. So that in practice, in¬ 
stead of resulting in a charge upon the cattle, the 
use of these yards gives a direct and handsome 
profit upon the investment. At figure 1 a cross 
section of the structure is giveu, and at figure 2 a 
portion of the longitudinal section. The amount of 
lA AB 
Fig. 1.— CROSS-SECTION OF COVERED CATTLE YARD. 
which to feed the animals. A substantial and com¬ 
plete yard for this use has been recently erected, 
enclosing a space of 112 feet long by 80 feet wide- 
large enough to accommodate 75 head. The roof 
rests upon outside walls, and two rows of iron 
pillars, 10 feet long, support it on the inside. The 
pillars are 5 inches in diameter, and rest upon 
foundations of stone work. The center roof rests 
upon plates, which are supported by the pillars ; 
the outside roofs rest upon flanges upon the posts ; 
the latter are lower than the former, the difference 
leaving a space for ventilation, and also an escape 
for the rain water, which is caught in 6-inch gutters 
and carried off. The roof timbers are all 9 inches 
by 3, and are tied by iron rods, as shown in figure 
1. The portions of the central roof are laid flush, 
Fig. 2.— LENGTHWISE SECTION OF CATTLE YARD. 
manure made by each animal fed in a covered yard, 
and littered with 20 pounds of straw daily, during 
the season of C months, may be estimated at 432 
cubic feet, or nearly 31 cords. Having had some 
experience in making manure in covered sheds, and 
knowing the extra value of such manure, we con¬ 
sider that if this were the only advantage gained, 
it would be sufficient to repay the cost of the yard. 
Agriculture in Kansas.— The report of the 
Secretary of the Kansas State Board of Agricul¬ 
ture, Alfred Gray, Esq., gives a very flattering ac¬ 
count of the prospect for 
the coming year in that 
State. The condition of 
the winter grain is fully 
one quarter (25 per cent) 
above the average; and 
that of live stock is al¬ 
most as favorable. Over a 
million acres of wheat was 
grown last year, yield¬ 
ing over 13,000,000 bush¬ 
els. More rye was grown 
than in any other State in 
the Union; of corn over 
two and a quarter million acres were planted, yield¬ 
ing over 40 bushels per acre, a total of over 103 
millions of bushels ; of oats 310,000 acres were 
sown, producing nearly 13 millions of bushels, or 
an average of over 40 bushels per acre. 
An Untoward Decision of the Supreme 
Court with regard to Texan Cattle.— Several 
of the Western States have a law prohibiting the 
passage of Texan cattle within their boundaries 
during the portion of the year when there are no 
frosts. This law is an absolute necessity to prevent 
the spread of the so-called Texan or Spanish fever, 
and the almost total destruction of native stock. 
A decision has been recently rendered by the U. S. 
Supreme Court, which affirms that this protective 
law is void as being at variance with the Constitu¬ 
tion of the United States. The States have the 
right to exclude any diseased stock, but it must be 
shown that the stock are really diseased. There is 
then no longer any protection for cattle, and unless 
Congress shall pass a general law, regulating the 
traffic in Texan cattle, disastrous losses will un¬ 
doubtedly occur. Here is a case in which the Ag¬ 
ricultural Department might take the initiative, and 
do a service which would be vastly more useful 
than fussing over the culture of tea and coffee. 
-«»*«««»,- 
How He Made a Liquid Manure Cistern. 
“ W. E.,” Jerseyville, Ill., sends a plan for con¬ 
structing a liquid manure cistern in the barn yard, 
for receiving the drainage from the stables and the 
yards. It is not intended for the rain water from 
the roofs, although if this were permitted to flow 
into it, and the manure pumped out and spread 
upon grass land 
occasionally, it 
would be advis¬ 
able. The cistern 
is 9 feet square, 
and lined with 
brick. A brick 
wall, enclosing a 
space 3 ft. square, 
is built in the cen¬ 
ter, and several 
openings are made 
in this wall, which 
is for the purpose 
of supporting the 
covering. The cover is of flag stones, 3 feet square, 
and there are 9 of these laid, as shown in the illus¬ 
tration. The cistern may be made as deep as may 
be desirable. It has 8 square feet of surface, and 
for each foot in depth will contain 20 barrels. If 
71 feet deep, it will hold 150 barrels, which will 
give a very good manuring to one acre of ground 
at the rate of nearly one barrel of the liquid 
fertilizer to the square rod. A square hole may 
be cut in the center stone to receive a pump. 
A Hew Mangel—“Webb’s Hew Kinver.” 
In England, where root crops are of the greatest 
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FLAN OF MANURE CISTERN. 
“WEBB’S NEW KINVER” MANGEL. 
importance, special shows are held of Mangels and 
Rutabagas. It is said that the Mangel known as 
