STALL FEEDING. The stall feeding of ani mals intended for human consumption is the natural outgrowth of the massing of populations in cities, and the accumulation of wealth. In England the stall feeding of sheep is regularly -practiced. In this country the feeding of sheep, -fat, is yearly increasing near all the great centers -of population. Cattle and swine will undoubt edly long continue to be the chief source of meat supply, or at least until the population shall approximatetin density that of England, a -contingency yet in the somewhat far future, .since there are yet vast areas of land in the United States to be settled and brought under cultiva tion. Until within the last ten years, the stall feeding of cattle—that is, their confinement in restricted areas, where the light was restricted, and exercise could not be taken—was almost unknown. Even to-day the great bulk of our fat cattle in the West are fed in open lots more -or less protected by timber. The best feeders, however, are careful to give shelter from snow _and rain. It is simply a question of cheapness of food as against shelter. There are still large areas in the West where feeding in confined stables will not soon give place to feeding in open lots from the cheapness of grain. Under this :system, however, animals can not be made what is called ripe. They attain a certain degTee of fat, and are undoubtedly the best beef that can be made, lacking only that degree of succulence -combined with tendernesss, attainable when they are fed in stables. In the article Stable we have noticed the importance of ventilation, warmth and cleanliness. In the stall feeding barn less ventilation is necessary; warmth up to ,60', and not below 45° is essential to success. Ease of cleaning the stable and means to keep the animals from being soiled, are of fully as .much importance. Standing places so arranged that the uriue may flow easily into gutters, is
.also essential. The stanchions or other means of securing cattle, will easily suggest themselves, as will also the most economical feeding places, according as whole grain, ground feed, roots, steamed food, or a combination of a part or the whole is intended. In removing. cattle to the stables for feeding, it should be done before there is any shrinkage from the drying up of the herbage. So long as the grass is good the cattle should have it, if they can be comfortable at night and be protected from cold storms. The best feeders prepare their cattle during the pre vious summer for stall feeding, by allowing them grain or meal whenever the pasture is not flush, and especially do they give additional feed during the autumn before they are finally removed to the barns. This not only keeps the steers growing, but it tends also to harden the flesh, so they do not shrink so much when first put up. It also gradually enures them to the change from succulent to dry food, not the least of the several points to be considered. The subject is beginning to be of sufficient import ance in the West, so that a careful study of the subject will well repay every intelligent farmer. Cost of buildings, price of labor, facilities for watering in the stable, the grinding and haul ing of grain, and many other minor considera tions must be carefully considered. With corn at twenty-five to thirty cents per bushel, and help scarce and high, the experience of our best experiinental farmers would seem to be in favor of feeding in well sheltered lots, therefore, ex cept in the case of animals intended for special markets or for exhibition, as prize animals, stall feeding has not been much practiced in the West. In other sections of the country the case is different. It will be but a comparatively short time, in the older settled regions of the West, when stall feeding will also have become prefitable there.