as a Sulst'dute for Hay to Cattle. 1 1 7 



lowing accounts and certificates were received, and to which 

 engravings and descriptions are annexed : 



SIR, 



In a letter, which I had the pleasure of addressing to 

 you some time ago, I took the Uberty of hinting at an ex- 

 periment I was making, in giving steamed potatoes as a 

 substitute in a great measure for hay. 



I was then wholly unacquainted \y\\\\ its having beeii 

 tried. It was from my friend the bishop of Landaii I first 

 learnt that the Board of Agriculture had made a report upon 

 it. As I do not find that was carried to any great extent, 

 nor given in the way I have done, I shall, with much de- 

 ference to the Society of Arts, &c. oifer what has occurred 

 to me, together with the ])lau I have adopted for steaming 

 and washing. Having nothing of the kind to assist nae in 

 iTiy beginning, I found great difficulty and much time con- 

 sumed, which I trust this will remedy to those who may 

 be inclined to make the experiment. 



ISIy respectable friend and neighbour the bishop of Lan- 

 datf took the trouble of examining the process, and in- 

 quiring into every thing relating to it, and has certified the 

 complete success of the plan, and his approbation of the 

 apparatus. It was in consequence of the alarming failure 

 in the hay crop of the year 1801 that I found myself called 

 upon to take some steps to prevent the serious consequences 

 which were likely to result from it. The importations of 

 hay front Ireland in August were from gd. to lid. per 

 stone of 14 pounds. In this situation it fortunately oc- 

 curred to me, that I had for njany years given a proportion' 

 of steamed potatoes, mixed with the other food, to my 

 hounds^ and found it to answer extremely well. If hounds 

 could stand their work with this feed, I could scarcely ad- 

 mit a doui)t of its being a hard as well as nutritious food. 

 Under this impression I began my steaming in October 

 1501, and continued it till late in May. The prejudices 

 I had to encounter were such us would ha\T defeated the 

 plan, had I not Ibllowcd it up for soine months with con- 

 stant and unremitting attention ; and whoever attempts it, 

 will have dilliculties to contend with tjiat require particular 

 attention to overcome. In no one instance did it fail, and 

 my horses were never in such spuit and condition. In 

 October last I rcconnnenced my ojicrations, and am able 

 to steam fic^m \C)0 to 'JOO stone, of fourteen pounds each, 

 per day : I have fed upwards of eighty horses constantly 

 both seasons; and this year I have extended the iced to niv 

 [[ i luiKh 



