104 THE CULTIVATOR. March, 
Shropshire Ox. 
The old Shropshire breed of cattle, according to Yon- I boned and cow-legged; but were good milkers, and es- 
att, were long-horned, hardy, of all colors, but generally I teemed for the dairy. The Herefords have bow taken 
brown, mixed with bay and white, with a streak of white | their place; they occupy the greater part of the grazing 
running along the back and under the bell) - ; were raw- i grounds, and are occasionally seen in the dairy. 
Feeding Cattle for Market. 
Editors Cultivator —I notice an inquiry in the Cul¬ 
tivator of this month, from “ E. L. 7; of Maryland, as to 
my mode of feeding cattle, stalls, &c. My stalls are 
three feet from center of the gate. The gates shut on a 
girt behind the cattle, against a block spiked on the girt, 
and the gate fastened by an inch pin put in the girt; the 
pin hung to the gate by a peice of cord, so that it is al¬ 
ways ready. In front two scantlings are framed into 
a sill, thus, -V two feet three inches apart at the top- 
say six feet in height. The cattle put their heads through 
at the widest part, and then bring them down to their 
manger to eat, which should be six inches higher than 
where their feet stand. The gatesare two feet three inches 
from the floor at the hind end, and within a few inches 
of the floor at the other end, slanting up to the girt be¬ 
hind. This is in order to give the cattle more room to 
lay at their widest part, and to prevent their shoulders 
going through under the gate, is the reason the gates are 
made near the floor in front. There is no danger of their 
getting below the gates behind, as cattle always turn 
themselves straight above their legs before they attempt 
to rise; and I need not tell a farmer they raise with 
their hind end first. The stalls must not be over three 
feet wide, and seven feet and a half in length is enough 
—if wider they will turn in them ; as that is sufficient 
for cattle that will weigh 1,600 lbs. live weight; but I, 
for some j T ears, have only used my stalls when feeding 
meal, which I do morning and afternoon. While my 
cattle are taking their meal, I have their boxes in the 
yard filled with hay, and when they have eat. their meal, 
turn them out. I have ample shed room for shelter■ and 
in this way I find my cattle improve much faster than 
when they are kept in their stalls all night and the 
greater part of the day, whatever science and theory 
may say to the contrary. I know that this is the best 
way, and m 3 7 doings show proof. 
We never had a colder December than the last, and I 
never saw my cattle do better. I ccommeneed feeding 
40 cattle on the 10th November. They went away to 
New-York market on the 8 th of this month, and the 
drover that bought them was very sure they would be 
the best in New-York market. None of the cattle were 
ever in their stalls longer than while eating their meal; 
my yards and sheds are thoroughly bedded with straw, 
so that they can either lay in the sheds or ) T ards, as they 
choose. Except in storms, or very cold nights, I notice 
they prefer the yards. In this way, my cattle are as 
clean when they go away, as when they were brought 
in from the fields in November. 
Immediately on selling my last lot, I bought 40 head, 
and am feeding them in like manner. I am also feeding 
160 three-year-old wethers. The } 7 have sheds to go un¬ 
der when they choose. I feed the hay in racks in the 
open yards, and the corn in troughs put up along the 
yard fence, about one foot from the ground. 
With regard to feeding cattle. I feed wholl } 7 on oil. 
cake meal, and corn-meal, fed dry. I feed very light 
for the first three w 7 eeks—say not over two or three 
quarts per day; after they become used to the feed, I 
increase it to four, five, six, and eight quarts per day, 
which is as much as is necessary or profitable, with plen¬ 
ty of good hay, to fat cattle thoroughl } 7 in from 80 to 
100 days, and it seldom can be made profitable to feed 
them longer. 
I have seen an immense waste of food in feeding in 
Great Britain. Cattle are shut up in close stone hou 
