DIGESTION AND WINTER FEEDING. 55 



which cows take remains in the first storaach at least twelve 

 or fourteen hours. I wish to ask the doctor if he can explain 

 the philosophy of that fact which Mr. Hadwen presented. 

 Can cabbage remain in the stomach of a cow fourteen hours 

 before digestion commences, without imparting a taste to the 

 milk, provided it does impart a taste if eaten immediately 

 before milking, or at any time except just after milking ? 



Dr. Bo WEN. My idea is, that it would impart some flavor 

 to the milk, fed at almost any time ; but it may not be per- 

 ceptible in all cases. There is a difference in cows in this 

 respect. Some cows will not impart the flavor of turnips, 

 even, to their milk. Those cows are very rare, I admit; but 

 there are those that I think would impart but very little 

 flavor. A feed of cabbage would go to the paunch, where 

 all rough food goes. It would remain there twelve, thirteen, 

 or fourteen hours. It is brought up by the peristaltic action 

 of the coating of the stomach to the second, and brought to 

 the mouth ; and then it is carried back again to the third 

 stomach, and the fourth. I do not think the time of feeding 

 cabbage makes much difference, excepting in this way : if it 

 is fed immediately after milking, it goes into the paunch ; 

 and when the cow commences to chew her cud, the previous 

 feeding is brought up, not the last one ; digestion commences 

 immediately; and the milk is not secreted as abundantly 

 directly after milking as it is a few hours afterwards. 



Mr. Cheever. The paunch is to be filled with cabbage 

 all the time ? 



Dr. BowEN. Yes, sir ; but the absorption does not come 

 from the food while it is in the paunch : the absorption comes 

 from the food when it has passed from the fourth stomach 

 into the intestine. 



Mr. Cheevee. I can see an explanation there, if it is only 

 fed once a day. I supposed it was fed twice a day. 



Dr. BowEN. I suppose it would make no difference 

 whether it were fed once a day or twice a day. The idea 

 is, that the absorption of the cabbage shall go on before the 

 milk is secreted. 



Mr. Whitaker. Is not that which gives the peculiar 

 cabbage-flavor a gas which is continually escaping from it ? 



Dr. BowEN. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Whitakeb. Does that gas stop before it has perme- 



