316 ox THE ECONOMICAL USE OF TURNIPS 



by tlie water-wheel used to propel the thrashing-mill. There- 

 after a proportion of cake is added. When first housed, the 

 cattle get from 4 lbs. to 5 lbs. each of this mixture daily, the 

 allowance being gradually increased until about double the 

 above quantity is given to each before they are disposed of 

 prime fat. This system has many advantages, which those who 

 pursue mixed arable farming would do well to study and imi- 

 tate. Mr Sproat in thrashing his grain " draws " it carefully, so 

 as to make the main produce really heavy and good. Conse- 

 quently, for wdiat cereals he sells, he receives the top price 

 current in the market. But the secondary produce of the farm 

 is made use of in the wav we have described. If the latter were 

 disposed of in its natural raw state it would be parted with at a 

 sacrifice ; whereas, when manufactured by the grist-mill and 

 mixed, it is admirably adapted for feeding purposes. By this 

 means the cake bill is kept down, and, moreover, the feeder 

 knows the real ingredients of the home-produced food he is 

 using. On the other hand, where the arable farmer sells nearly 

 all his grain, and buys almost all the feeding stuffs for his stock, 

 two separate profits are reaj^ed at his expense. The purchaser 

 of the grain has a profit in disposing of it to the consumer, such 

 profit being often largest where the produce is of second-rate 

 quality; and the seller of the cake or other artificial food has 

 a profit off' it, apart from the drawback that the purchaser in the 

 latter case may not be aware of the composition of the article, 

 and is more or less uncertain whether he is getting full market 

 value for his money. Where Mr Sproat's method is followed, a 

 maxir/ucm price is got for the produce marketed, and the re- 

 mainder is put to the most profitable use without any middle- 

 man getting a slice off it in the process. 



Spemnens of Mixed Cattle Diets. 



A number of our correspondents have kindly supplied us with 

 a statement of the diet on which they are accustomed to feed 

 their cattle — both feeding animals and stores — and we proceed to 

 give specimens of these. It will be seen that in every instance 

 very much less weight of turnips is allowed than the beasts 

 would consume if an unlimited supply of bulbs were placed 

 before them. 



Mr David Buttar, Corstan, Coupar- Angus, gives his feeding, 

 cattle the following mixture, costing lOd. or thereby daily : — 



15 lbs. cut straw. 



56 „ (^ cwt.) turnips (pulped), at 6d. per cwt, . . 3d. 



2 „ linseed meal, at l^d. per lb., .... 3d. 



4 „ cotton cake (decorticated), at |d. per lb., . . . 3d. 



1 „ treacle (diluted), at Id. per lb,, .... Id. 



lOd.. 



