310 ox THE ECONOMICAL USE OF TURXIPS 



jorovencler, such as cut hay or straw being substituted for the 

 watery bulbs withheld. If there are any truth and force in the 

 foregoing remarks, this is a mistake so great as to justify our 

 calling attention to it in this pointed way, even at the expense 

 of a little repetition of idea. 



Relative 'profit of feeding upon Turiiips alone, and with limited, 

 quantity of them and dry food substituted. 



"VVe now approach the most iniportant, in fact the crucial 

 stage of this question. What are the relative profits of the two 

 systems now under consideration, — the one being the plan of 

 using turnips as the sole or principal food of live stock, and the 

 other, the method of withholding a considerable proportion of 

 the watery bulbs, and giving as a substitute a mixture of bulky 

 and concentrated dry food ? The object of the farmer being to 

 make the largest pecuniary balance, after meeting rent, defraying 

 labour and manure bills, and all other expenses, the primary 

 consideration with him, is what system will show the best 

 balance ? We liave already expressed our regret that experi- 

 mental evidence of such an exact and reliable character as would 

 be of itself conclusive on this matter is unfortunately not at 

 our command. In the absence of it, we can merely appeal to 

 the general experience of stock-owners who have tried both 

 methods. The testimony on this point which has been furnished 

 to us is as uniform as it is strong. We applied to several dozens 

 of the most eminent and. extensive cattle and sheep feeders in 

 both divisions of tha United Kingdom, and witliout one solitary 

 exception they testify that they have been convinced alike by 

 experience and observation, that in every respect it is decidedly 

 more economical and profitable to give live stock a restricted 

 daily allowance of turnips, and to substitute for the quantity 

 withheld, dry nourisldng food of one kind or other, than to give 

 stock lai^ge supplies of cold watery bulbs. There is a considerable 

 diversity in regard to the weight of turnips allowed the various 

 classes of stock by different feeders. Moreover, the practice as 

 to the kinds and quantities of substitutes employed is, as might 

 be expected, also very various. By and bye we will quote a large 

 number of specimens of the proportions allowed for both cattle 

 and sheep, by a corresponding number of arable farmers. 

 Meanwhile, we must endeavour, with such imperfect materials 

 as are at our service, to compare the relative profits of the two 

 systems. 



There is one circumstance regarding which a large number of 

 stock-owners have borne testimony to us in connection with this 

 inquiry, and also at many other times, and which, indeed, we have 

 repeatedly seen with our own eyes, and that is, that in a season 



