146
FARM-HOUSES AND OFFICES
from seeing those on the other, which would disturb theirfeeding-
5. As it is understood that cattle thrive better, and aremore fit for travelling to distant markets, when instead ofbeing tied up to a stake, they are allowed to move about,with a choice of eating their food, either under or withoutcovering, feeding-houses are therefore made as open sheds,with a narrow inclosed yard along their outside. Both thecovered shed, and the adjoining yard, are divided into spacesfor two, or at most three cattle each, by cross divisions orracks, having a row of troughs along the covered shed, witha passage for filling them, either under the roof, or on theoutside. (See Plate VII.) These are called hammels in Ber-wickshire, and have been found to answer uncommonly well *.
The stakes for tying up cattle are placed at the distance offrom three to four feet apart, according to the size of thoseproposed to be kept. The cattle are fastened to these stakes,by a chain and swivel, fixed to a ring round the stake, whichallows it to move up and down; and to prevent them fromthrowing their heads too high, and thus incurring the risk ofchoking on small turnip, the ring is stopt from going furtherup than is thought proper, by a pin driven through the stake.
In most feeding-houses and byres, there are no divisionsbetween the cattle; but as the stalls could not be kept cleanif the cattle were allowed to turn about in them, it becomesnecessary to tie them close to the stake, to prevent themfrom turning round, and injuring one another with theirhorns. When divisions are put up, inclosing each pair se-parately by a trevice, and a small division at their heads, inthe middle of this double stall, the cattle may be allowedmore freedom, which must certainly be a great relief to them,and this is often practised in many parts of Scotland , both with