104 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



no doubt, among those who have tried them with any sort of 

 thoroughness. Experience shows, that used with straw and 

 poor hay, cattle will do better than on the best of hay alone. 

 They supply an element in their food that is not only peculiarly 

 grateful, but highly beneficial, and promotive of health and vigor. 



The carrot has a special value for horses fed on grain. The 

 experience of the most careful and observing grooms attests, 

 that the quantity of grain may be reduced one-half per day, by 

 substituting for it an. equal weight of carrots cut fine and mixed 

 with their grain when fed, and that they will pjaintain their 

 health and condition better than with hay and grain alone. It 

 is important to observe, that the grain and carrots should be 

 fed together^ and the reason is, that they render the digestion 

 of the grain more complete and perfect than it can be, even un- 

 der the most favorable circumstances, without them. This is 

 one reason why horses do so much better with the two together 

 than with either alone, no matter how great the quantity. The 

 pectic acid of the carrot helps the digestion of the grain. 



But we need not spend time to argue the value of roots for 

 stock, at least so far as the carrot is concerned, for among those 

 who have tried them, there is no difference of opinion. The case 

 is so plain a one, that the most careless observer cannot fail of 

 discovering the fact, on the smallest experience, even. 



In regard to the rutabagas, there seems to be great diversity 

 of opinion, as there is with reference to the whole turnip tribe. 

 Most farmers in this section esteem them very liglitly, as food 

 for stock. It is not so in Europe. There they feed and fatten, 

 not only cattle, but swine, on them. And all kinds of turnips 

 are raised in immense quantities, for tliis purpose. And we are 

 inclined to the opinion, that one great reason why they are not 

 more highly esteemed among us is, that they are fed in an im- 

 proper manner and condition, and in insufficient quantities. In 

 England, turnips arc cut into a fine ribbon, or grated into a 

 fine pulp, and mixed with cut feed, straw or hay, usually with 

 straw, and are given in considerable quantities. Among us, the- 

 usual way of proceeding is, with a shovel, on the barn floor, or 

 in a box, to cut up one or two turnips to an animal, into pieces 

 as large as they can possibly get into their mouths, and thus 

 feed tkeni out. That they should do them much good, given out 



