AS FOOD FOE CATTLE AND SHEEP. 337 



acts as a barrier to cake and similar feeding stuffs being given to 

 the stock. In Lincolnshire and other counties of England, cattle 

 owners who consume in a similar way the straw and roots on a 

 farm, are generally permitted by the agreement to give the 

 cattle as much cake as they choose, the farmer being bound to 

 repay them one-half the cost price of any genuine oil-cake so 

 used. The latter readily enters into an arrangement of this 

 kind, from a well-founded belief that he gets full value for 

 his share of the outlay in the enriched quality of the manure 

 made from the stock consuming the cake. If turnip growers in 

 Scotland, who let the consumption of their roots to sheep- 

 feeders, could have a similar conviction impressed on their 

 minds, they would be ready to bear a portion of the expense 

 incurred on oats, cake, &c., and thereby the practice of giving 

 at least dry concentrated food in supplement of turnips would 

 be widely extended. 



Conchtcling Remarhs. 



If the system which we have sketched and advocated, viz., 

 of restricting the roots given to cattle and sheep, and of substi- 

 tuting for the quantity thus withheld cut hay or straw, as well 

 as dry concentrated food, be carried out on a farm, and if at the 

 same time the same area be devoted to the growth of roots, it i& 

 obvious that the stock-keeping capabilities of the farm will be 

 vastly increased. This will involve the purchase of additional 

 live-stock, from which, if the rates current in the store and fat 

 markets are similar, a fair reasonable profit may be expected to 

 be cleared. In ordinary circumstances, though the rule is 

 subject to several well-known exceptions, the receipts from a 

 farm are in proportion to the number of live stock which can 

 be properly fed upon its produce. But when keep is very 

 abundant, store stock usually undergoes a decided rise in price, 

 and thus, apart altogether from the capital necessary to purchase 

 these additional animals, the in-buying price may be so high as 

 to render the investment to a large extent a speculative one. 

 Consequently, when the turnip crop is a very lieavy one, and store 

 cattle and sheep are realising high prices, it might be hazardous 

 to purchase additional stock to consume the surplus roots saved 

 by cut hay or straw being substituted for a portion of the 

 turnips, and it might be prudent to feed say sheep almost 

 entirely upon the latter crop, rather than buy an extra number, 

 wliich, recpiiring to be sold again before they are fat, might leave 

 no profit, or have to be parted with at a positive loss. The 

 system is one which must be mfxlitied to suit existing circum- 

 stances. It must be followed with discretion in all its bearincjs, 

 for it might not be prudent or ]>rofitable to carry it rigidly out 

 in all r"ir('iiin^t;niP0«5. 



