368 MODERN FARRIER. 



being generally used, as they are hardly trained 

 properly to work before it is thought necessary to 

 fatten them, after which they do very little Avork ; 

 but in consequence of the improved mode of fatten- 

 ing by oil-cake, &c. there is no difficulty to fatten 

 oxen, even at twelve years of age, which is a mate- 

 rial circumstance in their favour.' 



The method of giving cows their food by the 

 milk-farmers in the vicinity of the metropolis, where 

 this business is carried on upon the most extensive 

 scale, is thus stated in the valuable Agricultural 

 Survey of that district. * During the night, the 

 cows are confined in stalls ; about three o'clock in 

 the morning, each cow has a half-bushel basket of 

 grains ; when the milking is finished, a bushel bas- 

 ket of turnips is given to each cow ; and very soon 

 afterwards they have an allotment, in the proportion 

 of one buss to ten cows, of the most grassy and soft 

 meadow haj^ which had been the most early movvn. 

 and cured of the greenest colour. These several 

 feedings are generally made before eight o'clock in 

 the morning, at which time the ccws are turned 

 into the cow-yard. About twelve o'clock they are 

 again confined to their stalls, and served v.'itli the 

 same quantity as they had in the morning. When 

 the afternoon milking, which continues till near 

 three, is finished, the cows are again served with the 

 same quantity of turnips, and about an liour after- 

 wards with the same distribution of hay, as before 

 described. This mode of feeding generally conti- 

 nues during the turnip season, which is from the 

 month of September to the month of May. During 

 the other months of the year they are fed with 

 grains, cabbages, tares, and the other foregoing pro- 

 portion of second cut meadow hay, and are conti- 

 nued to be fed with the same regularity until they 

 are turned out to grass, when they continue in the 

 field all night ; and even during this season they are 

 frequently fed with grains.' 



