108 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[March, 
Feed Boxes. 
BY L. D. SNOOK, YATES CO., N Y. 
At the request of several readers of the 
American Agriculturist, I present various 
forms of feed boxes for cattle, etc. The re¬ 
quests were for boxes that could be easily 
ing in contact with earth or snow. All feed 
boxes and racks should be placed under shel¬ 
ter during summer, or when not in use. 
Fig. 1.—COVERED FEED BOX. 
cleaned, and I have no doubt but some of the 
forms here given will prove satisfactory. In 
figure 1, a box is shown firmly attached to 
two posts. It has a hinged cover, p, that 
folds over, and may be fastened down by in¬ 
serting a wooden pin in the top of the post 
near n. The one given in figure 2 may be 
placed under shelter, along the side of a 
building or fence. One side of the top is 
hinged to the fence or building, the bottom 
resting upon a stake, e. When not in use, 
the box may be folded up, the end of the 
strap, b, hooking over the pin a, at the side 
,T> 
The Teosinte in Louisiana. 
In January 1880 we gave a figure of a then 
new forage plant, “Teosinte” (Euchlaena 
luxurians), with an account of its success in 
Australia and other countries. As it was im¬ 
portant, should the plant prove valuable in 
any part of the country, to learn if its seeds 
could be perfected here, we undertook to test 
this point. Mr. Wm. H. Carson liberally 
supplied us with imported seeds, and we sent 
samples, early in 1881 to several friends in 
Florida, Louisiana and other Southern States, 
with the request that the ability of the plant 
to produce seeds be tested. The only report 
we have thus far had, is from T. L. Deacon, 
Esq., Ouachita Co., La. At our suggestion 
he started some of the seeds quite early in 
pots, and when the plants were six inches 
high, they were set out in the open ground. 
Fig. 2.—HINGED FEED BOX. 
of the box. A good portable box, to be placed 
upon the ground, is shown in figure 3. It is 
simply a common box with a strip of board, 
h, nailed on one side, and projecting about 
eight inches. When not in use, it is turned 
bottom up, as shown in figure 4. The pro¬ 
jecting strip prevents three sides of the box 
from settling into the mud or snow. The 
strip is also a very good handle by which to 
carry it. Those who now use portable boxes 
will find the attaching of this strip a decided 
advantage. A very serviceable portable feed 
box is made from a section of half a hollow 
log, with ends nailed on as shown in figure 
5. By letting the ends project above the 
sides four or five inches, it may be turned 
Fig .3. —PORTABLE FEED BOX. 
over when not in use, and easily turned back 
by grasping the sides without the hand com¬ 
Fig. 4.—FEED BOX INVERTED. 
The rest of the seed was sown in drills 2‘/ a 
feet apart and the seeds 2 feet distant. This 
seed was long in germinating, but when the 
plants came up they soon overtook 
those that were transplanted. The 
roots are immense, and Mr. D. says 
that the plants stood the unusual 
drouth of last summer admirably. 
The Teosinte gave three good cuttings 
of fodder and on Dec. 1st was still 
alive. Several plants were reserved 
for seed, but as these were unfor¬ 
tunately cut during Mr. D.’s absence, 
he cannot positively assert that seeds 
can be ripened with him, but from 
the appearance of some heads that 
have grown since Sept, last, he feels 
very sure that they may be. As to the 
value of the plant ouf correspondent 
says, that we may recommend it to our 
friends in the Southern States as a great fod¬ 
der producer ; in a rich soil with a hot sun, 
it may be cut three times in the season ; it 
Fig. 5.—BOX FROM HOLLOW LOG. 
grows rapidly after cutting, and gives no 
trouble, save running the cultivator through 
it a few times. The cattle are very fond of 
it green or dry. He is so much pleased with 
the trial that he proposes to have five acres 
of Teosinte the coming season. We should 
be glad to learn from our readers how far 
.north the plant can be profitably cultivated. 
T!ii> Milliard The Mallard is 
the domestic duck in a wild state. It is a 
marsh duck, and seemingly is never so happy 
as when half flying, half wading, through 
weeds, brakes, and lily-pads. Pond-lily seeds, 
and the animalcules of the muddy waters, are 
its best food. The meat of the Mallard, and 
particularly that of the young, is very deli¬ 
cate, being free from the fishy taste and 
odor common to almost all salt water ducks. 
It requires a skillful sportsman to make a 
successful day in hunting the Mallard, it be¬ 
ing so watchful, and making such good use 
of the instincts for self-preservation given to 
it by nature. The unskillful gunner may steal 
upon his prey, and imagine that he is unno¬ 
ticed, but all the time the Mallard lias kept 
one eye upon him, closely observing every 
movement of the enemy, and as the latter 
rises for his shot, it sails gracefully away, 
giving its shrill note of warning to its com¬ 
panions. One writer has well said: “ Let no 
novice, therefore, think to sprinkle salt on 
the Mallard’s tail, or to bag him without a 
resort to traps and strategy.” 
Tim Bunker on Points in Deacon Smith’s 
Farming. 
Mr. Editor : — The Committee of our 
County Agricultural Society, on visiting 
farms, went to look over Deacon Smith’s 
farm in September, and try and learn some¬ 
thing for their own benefit and that of their 
neighbors. The Deacon is a sort of model 
farmer among us, and is said to have the 
best farm in all Hookertown. He is the only 
man in town that has a bronze cock turkey 
got up by a taxidermist and kept in a show 
case among other birds. As the Deacon was to 
have a big dinner, and entertain a few of his 
neighbors, I went along with the Committee 
just to keep them straight, and to prevent 
any mistakes the Deacon might make in mis¬ 
statements about the yield of his crops, and 
the merits of his cattle. I don’t mean to in¬ 
sinuate that the Deacon is inclined to draw 
the long bow, or to exaggerate in his state¬ 
ments, one whit; but you see, even Deacons 
have the infirmities of human nature, and in 
the excitement of a visit from the Commit¬ 
tee, he might give the facts a gloss that bet¬ 
ter not go into print. You see, if things get 
printed there’s no end to their circulation. 
The first point the Deacon made was the 
value of 
A Good Barn. 
This he considered the stomach of the 
farm. Into it all the vegetable products of 
the farm were gathered, pretty much, and 
after they had fed cattle, the refuse was 
lodged iu the cellar, to be mixed with straw, 
muck, headlands, and other absorbents, to 
make fertilizers and furnish food for the 
crops. This barn, which he had built the 
present season, was 41 by 60 feet, and was a 
great improvement on the old style of barn, 
which was still standing at ’ quite a long dis¬ 
tance from the house. He said, “ If men 
considered the time it takes to fodder cattle 
three times a day, they would always locate 
the barn near the house to save footsteps. 
A half hour saved daily is worth at least 
thirty dollars a year, and that sum is worth 
looking at by thrifty farmers. My barn 
stands upon a ten-foot wall, and is supported 
by stone and wood posts, so arranged that an 
ox-cart can be driven under all parts of it. 
It opens to the south upon the yard, and 
affords comfortable shelter for the cattle 
whenever I want them out of the stables. 
This cellar is my manure factory, and into it 
