COUNTIES OF EDINBURGH AND LINLITHGOW. 33 



byres some of the calves are fed off for tlie butcher with all 

 despatch, and sold as veal ; others, as already stated, are sold to 

 the upland farmers, either to rear as dairy cattle or to fatten for 

 the shambles. 



Cattle Feeding. — The majority of lowland farmers graze only a 

 iQ\Y cattle in summer, but in winter feed many more. The 

 Board of Trade returns afford no information as to numbers, as 

 the bulk of the feeding cattle are purchased in during autumn, 

 and sold off before the returns are collected in the following year. 

 The beasts for fattening consist largely of strong shorthorn crosses 

 from the southern counties of Scotland and the north of England, 

 with here and there a sprinkling of Irish. These crosses are tvv'o 

 to three years old when bought in, and are sold off as they be- 

 come ready during the winter and spring months, the whole 

 being cleared out by June. It is not uncommon for the in- 

 buying price to be doubled, while there is generally a sufficient 

 margin to fully remunerate the feeder. Sometimes good crosses are 

 kept over-year and finished off by the following Christmas, when 

 they make heavy weights. This system is, however, far from 

 common. The food given to fattening animals is turnips, straw, 

 cake, and corn, with or without a little hay. Eoots are not given «fZ 

 llh'itum as in some counties, only a sufficient quantity being allowed 

 to keep the animal in a healthy, thriving condition. Crushed oats 

 and rye are used in a few instances, so are refuse potatoes, when 

 the crop is lifted by the owner. Mr Ford, Hardeugreen, one 

 of the best feeders in Mid-Lothian, uses hay, cake, and crushed 

 grain. These substances he finds to answer well, and his cross- 

 breds thrive admirably upon such generous fare. He has tried 

 the experiment of running a few crosses upon rough pastures in 

 the winter, allowing- nothincc but what thev gather for them- 

 selves, and yet they make fair progress. Of course, they require 

 a little better diet at the finish, but it is well bestowed. Mr 

 Dickson, Saughton Mains, is also a noted feeder. In addition 

 to straw and turnips, his cattle are liberally supplied with ex- 

 traneous food, and are consequently sent off ripe before they 

 have been long in his hands. Mr George Davidson, Walton, 

 is one of the most noted feeders in AVest Lothian. He purchases 

 either the best Irish or Westmorland cattle in the fall of the 

 year, when the turnip crop is ready for use. A sufficient quan- 

 tity of roots is allowed, to prevent the animals from requiring 

 water, with a daily allowance of 3 lbs. of linseed cake. In addi- 

 tion to this, they get a feed of the following mixture once or 

 twice a day : — Crushed cotton cake, grains, light wheat, beans, 

 oats, light barley, and cut straw — or hay, when cheap — damped 

 a few hours before use. On this fare they make good headway, 

 and are quite healthy. Those which are ripe go ofl' to market 

 by the end of the year, when the stalls they occupy are filled 



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