145
bottom boards, 1 or 1^ inches thick; nailed upon it; B B, aspace left on each post about inches broad for the hatch, Fig.3, to slide into, the ends of the boards holding the hatch exact-ly in its place. In Fig. 3, A represents the body of the hatch ;B B, the two handles whereby to take it out and in, and also forholding the hatch together.
Fig. 4. shows a double frame upon the same principles, with apost in the middle, and a small strip of wood nailed upon it,marked A : this strip keeps the hatches in their places withoutletting them move from side to side, as they would otherwise dowhen the one was out and the other in, as represented in Fig. 4.These boards that are put upon the sides must not cover all theface of the posts, but must leave inch bare on the inside ofthe frame, as before noticed. The above will be easily understoodby consulting the Figures.
The mode of fixing the frame is simply thus :—The apertureof the frame must be fully as wide as the breadth of the feederfor which it is designed: And the frame being made, a notch iscut in each side of the feeder, equal to the length of the side-boards; and also into the bottom of these notches, and into thebottom of the feeder, to the depth of the bottom-boards and postsbetwixt C and the black line Fig. 1. and the bottom-boards Fig.2. or 4. ; always observing to place the bottom of the aperturerather below than above the bottom of the feeder, that the sole,C, Fig. 1., may have a firm hold of the bottom. When theframe is thus set into the notches, and driven firmly down, thenotches may be made tight about the sides and bottom by ram-ming or beating in stiff clay, which is best for holding it close;but strong sods or feal will do; or even peat-moss, if clay can-not be had. A few stones may be causewayed into the bottombehind the frame, if the force of the water tends to wear it. In•olid ground this frame will answer very well, fixed as alreadydescribed; but where the land is gravelly or loose, the boardmust be made longer and deeper on the sides and bottom, and afew stones added on the sides, to keep up the banks, &c. I haveseen a frame of this description driven down by force into peat-moss, or soft-bottomed land, after cracking the sward at the top;and was thus rendered quite tight, without any more ado.
This kind of hatches will answer in feeders from 2 to 6 feetWide, where the depth does not exceed 2 feet, or 2J. A slab isplaced behind these hatches, for the person to stand upon whodraws them. This ^lab or plank is the better to be placed closeto the back of the frame, and to have a good hold of the banks,for supporting the head, or top, of the frame.
Where the above kind of hatches cannot be adopted in takingwater out of mill leads, and where the fall is great, a trunk 6or 8 feet long, 11 or 2 feet square, with a hatch in its mouth,
vox. u . K