THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



If my turnips fail in spring, by supplying 2 to2Jlbs. of 

 rape-cake in addition I find the result equally favourable. 

 On this fare my cattle thrive satisfactorily, and make 

 usually at the rate of 14 lbs. per week each. I some- 

 times substitute ^Ib. per day of linseed-oil for the 2 lbs. of 

 rape-cake without turnips, the gain by which I find satis- 

 factory. One of a lot of 14 fed in this mode gained at the 

 rate of 24 lbs. per week from March up to July, 1856, being 

 the greatest gain I have observed in thcjcourse of my ex 

 perience as a feeder. 



Having received numerous applications from vendors to 

 become a purchaser, and inquiries as to what I thought of 

 the properties of carob or locust beans, I may call attention 

 to its comparative composition with Indian meal, which it 

 most nearly resembles, and in comparison with which its 

 value is decidedly inferior. There is little difference in the 

 feeding effects of sugar and starch ; the former contains 

 somewhat more of oxygen, which in some slight degree 

 facilitates its consumption in the respiratory process ; but 

 in the same ratio it is deficient in carbon, and has conse- 

 quently less of the property of producing fat. 



The respective quantities of oxygen from the air required 

 for the consumption of 



100 parts of starch are 118 52 



„ sugar 10(5 67 



fat 29214 



These numbers seem to denote the comparitive labour or 

 exercise of the organs of respiration requisite for the con- 

 sumption of these elements of food respectively, or, in 



Oxygen. 

 10-13-1 



49-38 Uer cent. 

 53-34 J 



other words, for the support of vitality. Their relative 

 composition is — 



Cakbon. Hydrogen. 

 Fat .... 78-13 .. 11-74 ., 

 Starch.. 44-45 .. 6-17 ., 

 Sugar .. 40- .. G-66 . 



AVhilst these analyses have been in the course of prepa- 

 ration, with the view of being inserted in the Society's 

 Journal, another month has elapsed, during which I have 

 proceeded with my observations on dairy produce. On the 

 12th of March I purchased Mr. Smith's cow (see p. 153) 

 for £12 10s., being more than her market-value, for the pur- 

 pose of trying her on my food ; her yield of milk had then 

 diminished to 8 quarts per day. On the 31st of March, 

 four weeks from the former weighing, and nineteen days 

 after being treated with my food, her yield of milk had in- 

 creased to 9| quarts per day, and her weight to 8 cvvt. 1 qr., 

 being 28 lbs. increase. 



Mr, Pawson's cow, which was continued on the same 

 food, viz., meadow-hay ad libitum, and a more limited supply 

 of turnips, reduced her yield of milk to less than 5 quarts 

 per day, without alteration in her weight. 



My cow first placed on trial with those of Mr. Smith 

 and Mr. Pawson,gavea yield of milk of 12 quarts per day, 

 and gained 28 lbs. in the four weeks, her -weight on the 31st 

 of March being 10 cwt. 2 qrs. 



The weight and the yield of milk of the six, on the 31st 

 of March, were — 



On referring to the previous weighing, there was little or 

 no gain from Feb. 4th to March 4th, the cows being at that 

 time in a somewhat more relaxed state. During March 

 they wholly regained their consistency. The gain shown in 

 the weighing, March 31, by the six cows, appears therefore 

 unusually great. It should however be computed as made 

 during the eight weeks, from Feb. 4th to March 31st, being 

 with an average yield of nearly 12 quarts (11-66) per day 

 each, at the rate of 8 l-6ths lbs. each per week on the aver- 

 age. 



No. 11 , it will be observed, is stated as giving more milk 

 on the 31st than on the 4th of ]\Iarch. It occasionally hap- 

 pens that cows drop their yield of milk for a day or two, 

 and then regain it, especially when in use. The whole of 

 these six cows were kept free from calf till February, when 

 Nos. 2 and 4 were sent to the bull. I had some hesitation 

 in regard to No. 4, from her having suffered from pleuro. 

 Her milk, tested by a lactometer, denoted a less than aver- 

 age proportion of cream ; still in quantity, and keeping up 

 its yield for a length of time, being of more than ordinary 

 capability, I decided to retain her. 



Nos. 1 and 7, which are giving respectively 8 and 10 

 quarts per day, are in a state of fatness ; they will pro- 

 bably be sold in June as prime fat, when their yield of milk 

 will probably be 6 to 8 quarts per day each. They may be 

 expected to fetch £"20 to £-23. No. G is also in a state of 

 forwardness. No. 11, which suffered considerably from 

 pleuro, is in comparatively lower condition. 



During the season, from the close of October to the close 

 of January, I avoid purchasing near-calving cows, which 

 are then unusually dear, my replenishments being made 

 with cows giving a low range of milk and intended for fat- 

 tening; I find them more profitable thatt those which are 

 quite dry. The present season I had additional grounds 

 for abstaining from buying high-priced cows from the re- 

 cent presence of pleuro. 



On the 2nd of March I had occasion to purchase a 

 calving cow, which was reported to have calved on 28th of 



February; Her weight on the 4th of March was 9 cwt. I 

 qr. I supplied her with 35 lbs. of mangel, and hay ad li- 

 bitum, of which she ate 22 lbs. per day. The greatest yield 

 she attained was somewhat more than 13 quarts per day. 

 On the 31st of March her weight was 9 cwt., being a loss 

 of 28 lbs. in four weeks. Her yield of milk had diminished 

 to 11| quarts per day : a week after this her milk, during 

 six days, was kept apart, and averaged 10 quarts per day; 

 being at first rather more, at the close rather less, than this. 

 The cream produced from these 60 quarts was 9 pints, the 

 butter 63 oz. The butter from each quart of cream was 14 

 oz. The proportion of butter to milk was 63 oz. from 60 

 quarts— rather more than 1 oz. per quart. 



An equal quantity of milk from a cow (calved Oct. 8th) 

 treated with steamed food, and set apart for comparison, 

 gave less than 7 pints of cream, which produced 79 oz. of 

 butter. 



In quality and agreeableness the butter from steamed 

 food and cake was decidedly superior to that from hay and 

 mangel. 



Mr. Stansfcld, of Chertsey, has supplied me with the 

 following interesting particulars of two Alderney cows 

 which were treated as follows : — 



Rape- Bean- 

 cake, meal, 

 lbs. lbs. 



Bran. 



lbs. 



Malt- 

 combs, 

 lbs. 



From Dec. 1 to Jan. 15 with 



swedes and meadow-hay. 

 From Jan. 15 to Feb. 17, 



pulped and fermented 



swedes, meadow-hay, and 3 2 2 2 



From Feb. 17 to May 1 5—22 



Results— Dec. 1 to Jan. 15, yield of butter from each quart 

 of cream, 10| oz. ; Jan. 15 to Feb. 17, 14 oz. ; Feb. 17 to 

 May 1,18^ oz. The yield of butter in proportion to milk, 

 Dec. 1 to Jan. 15, is described as unsatisfactory ; ditto, Feb. 

 1 7 to May, as 2 oz. per quart, which is their maximum pro- 



