THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



327 



either of the cakea, but amongst the weed-seeds there may 

 be other pernicious seeds. We have no means to identify 

 most vegetable poisons. Be this as it may, I am inclined to 

 think that the physical condition of cake No. 2 and 3 is so 

 bad, that young animals that partake of them freely will be 

 the sufferers. Both are evidently foreign cakes. Will you 

 kindly inform me under what name and at what price these 

 two cakes were sold ? You will perceive that I am of opinion 

 that the cakes No. 2 and 3 may have done the mischief at- 

 tributed to them ; but that in the absence of any positive 

 proof a reasonable doubt may be entertained whether or 

 not this was really the case. I can speak much more de- 

 cidedly respecting cake No. 1, for I have not the least doubt 

 but that the cake has been the cause of the death of the 

 sheep. A similar case has been brought under my notice 

 within the last fortnight. A cotton-cake, very similar to the 

 one you sent me, has led to the death of a bulbck. The 

 post-mortem examination plainly showed that the enormous 

 quantity of hard and irritating husks in this cake caused 

 an obstruction in the bowels, which brought on inflamma- 

 tion and led to the death of the animal. The case is reported 

 in the Gardeners' Clironicle of the 8th inst. 



" In addition to the full analysis, which proves the in- 

 ferior character of your cotton-cake, I hav.^ made an approxi- 

 mate mechanical analysis, which demonstrates, perhaps, 

 Btill more forcibly the cause of the death of the sheep. 

 Experience has shown that the hard husks of cotton-cake 

 are very indigestible, and accumulate in the stomach to hard 

 stone-like masses, which produce virulent inflammation : 

 cotton-wool, I think, is quite as bad if not worse than 

 cotton-husk. Now, in your cake there is no less than 67 

 per cent, of husk and 4 per cent, of cotton-wool, and only 

 29 per cent, of meal. So large a proportion of useless and 

 rather injurious material mixed with only 29 per cent, of 



nutritious matter must be highly injurious for feeding 

 purposes. 



" In the best shelled or decorticated cotton-cake, which 

 alone siiould be used for feeding purposes, and which is a 

 highly nutritious substance, there is no appreciable quantity 

 of cotton- wool, and only about 10 per cent, of husk. Cake 

 like No. 1 is totally unfit for feeding purposes; and I con- 

 gratulate myself upon having reported several specimens of 

 cotton-cake similar to the one you sent to me, as too trashy 

 to be given to an animal. 



" Believe me. Sir, yours faithfully, 



" (Signed) Augu.stus Voelcker. 



"I. Seaman, Esq." 



(COPY OF DR. VOELCKER'S ANALYSIS.) 



Composition of Sample of Cotton-cake marked 



No. 1, SENT BY Mr. Seaman, Saffron Walden. 



No. 1. Chjjmical Analysis. 



Moisture 15.16 



Oil 6.81 



Albuminous compounds* 18.37 



Gum, mucilage, &c 23 32 



Pure cellulose 29.93 



Mineral matters 6.41 



100.00 

 * Containing nitrogen 2.94 



No. 2. Mechanical Analysis. 



Husk, with a little cotton-wool 66.99 



Meal 28.98 



Cotton-wool 4.03 



"(Signed) 

 " Royal Agricultural College, 

 " Cirencester, January 18<A, 1859." 



100.00 

 Augustus Voblckbk. 



WHY DO WE WASTE OUR STRAW, SO VALUABLE FOR FEEDING PURPOSES? 

 HOW MUCH SHOULD IT BE WORTH PER ACRE? 



Sir, — This is a vital question for agriculture. For many 

 years I have been gradually more and more convinced that 

 straw has a considerable value for feeding purposes, for which 

 alone it should be used, in order to extract from it the largest 

 profit. 



It is true that, when I have propounded this notion in 

 the presence of practical farmers, their shouts of laughter have 

 testified to their disbelief ; and I have smiled at their prejudice 

 and miscalculation, in conscious conviction that they would 

 gradually have to surrender at discretion. 



The quantity of wheat-straw removed from an acre of well- 

 farmed clay, where the average is 5 qrs. per acre, would be 2 

 tons per acre. Science has shown us that, ploughed in and 

 considered as manure, its worth is but Qs. 4d. per ton ; while, 

 used as /oorf, it will, if properly prepared, realize a value of 

 40s. per ton. Now what farmer would knowingly throw 

 away £2 to £3 per acre, in so economic a business as farm- 

 ing? and yet, this is literally being done over millions of 

 acres. 



If it be denied that straw has a greater value as food than 

 as manure, it would, by parity of reasoning, be desirable to 

 compare the manurial and feeding values of oilcake, barley, 

 beans, peas, hay, and roots. 



Whilst my farming friends ridicule my dislike to ploughing 



in straw, they would stand aghast at my proposing to them 

 to plough in their barley-meal, linseed-cake, or other feeding 

 material. But I can see no difference : the folly or error is in 

 each case equal, and the loss comparatively as great. 



Whence does this singular disbelief arise ? Simply because 

 the straw, in an unprepared condition, is not in an available 

 condition as food. 



I purpose to give a practical illustration of this question, by 

 a statement of my own proceedings ; but every one who would 

 understand the question in its most comprehensive view, 

 should study Mr. Horsfall's admirable papers on dairy ma- 

 nagement, in the Society's Journal. The whole feeding ques- 

 tion may be considered as greatly developed by those papers. 



The question of converting both our straw and oiu roots 

 more advantageously than we now do, is a true breeches-pocket 

 question for the British farmer ; nor are the public less in- 

 terested in the more abundant supply of meat, which would 

 naturally follow the more economic use of our straw and 

 roots. 



The general appearance of thriving animals is unmistake- 

 able. If, after feeding, they lie down contentedly, free from 

 restlessness, all goes on well. Such is the case with my 10 

 young shorthorn bullocks, of Irish breed, about 30 months 

 old, which were bought in at i£9 each, in 



Z 



