974 
furnished many conjectures on this 
subject, but experience has con- 
firmed few facts, and the enquiry 
belongs rather to chemistry than to 
agriculture. 
. 
Account of Mr. Curwen’s Method of 
Feeding Cows, during the Winter 
Season, utth a View to provide 
poor Persons and Children with 
Milk at ihat Time, from Trans- 
actions of the Society of Arts, &c. 
Vol. XX1X. 1806. 
Every attempt. to ameliorate 
the condition of the labouring 
classes of the community, is an 
object not unworthy of public at- 
tention; and has, on all occasions, 
been zealously patronized by the 
society of arts. Under this impres- 
sion | hope for the indulgence of 
the society, in calling their attention 
to an experiment, which I flatter 
myself will, in its conseqnence, 
prove not only highly beneficial to 
the Jower orders of society, but 
tend likewise.to the advancement of 
agriculture. 
There is not any thing, I humbly 
conceive, which would conduce 
more essentially to the comfort and 
health of the labouring community 
and their families, than being able 
to procure, especially in winter, a 
constant and plentiful supply of 
good and nutritious milk. Under 
this conviction, much pains have 
been taken to induce the landed 
proprietors to assign ground to their 
cottagers, to enable them to keep a 
milch cow. The plan is humane, 
and highly meritorious, but unfor- 
tunately its beneficial influence can 
reach but a few. Could farmers in 
general be induced from humanity, 
er bound by their landlords to fur- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
nish milk to those, at least, whom 
they employ, it would be more ge- 
nerally serviceable. Even those 
who have the;comfort of a milch 
cow would find this a better anda 
cheaper supply, as they can seldom 
furnish themselves with milk through 
the winter. The farmer can keep 
his milch cows cheaper and better ; 
for, besides having green food, his 
refuse corn and chatf of little value, 
are highly serviceable ia feeding 
milch cows. 
My object is to combat the pre. 
vailing opinion, that dairies in sum- 
mer are more profitable than in 
winter. I confidently hope to esta- 
blish a contrary fact. The experi. 
ment | am about to submit to the 
society, is to prove, that by adopt- 
ing a different method of feeding 
milch cows in winter, to what is in- 
gencral practice, a very ainple pro- 
fit is to be made, equal if not supe- 
rior to that made in any other sea- 
son. 
I believe the principle will hold 
good equaily in all situations: my 
experience is confined to the neigh- 
bourhood of a large and populous 
town. 
The price of milk is one-fifth 
higher in winter than in summer. 
By wine measure the price is 2d. 
per quart new milk, 1d. skimmed. 
My Jbocal situation afforded me 
ample means of knowing how 
greatly the lower orders suffered 
from being unable to procure a 
supply of milk; and [ am fully 
persuaded of the correctness of the 
statement, that the labourjg poor 
lose a number of their children from 
the want of a food so pre-emineutly 
adapted to their support. 
Stimulated by the desire of mak- 
ing my farming pursuits contribute 
to the comfort of the public, and of 
those 
