194 MODE OF PREPARING THEIR FOOD. 



kept in boxes during the summer as well as in the winter 

 months were treated in every respect alike, and made similar 

 returns ; some were disposed of within four, others eight months, 

 averaging about six months each, and speaking volumes in 

 favour of the cultivation of linseed, the fattening cattle upon 

 native produce, box-feeding, and summer- grazing. 



I have now twelve bullocks under similar treatment, but 

 instead of grain or pulse I substitute hay or straw, with a few 

 turnip-tops, and barley "colder," all cut into fine chaff, with 

 an extra proportion of linseed. Upon this plan a compound 

 is formed more economical and rapid in its effect than any I 

 have hitherto used. The reason is obvious. Linseed will 

 raise flesh and fatten faster than anything else ; therefore, 

 the more a bullock can take without being disordered, the 

 greater will be the effect produced. Boiled barley alone is 

 slow in effect and will not repay; but when linseed meal is 

 incorporated with it, the progress of the animal is greatly 

 accelerated. Corn, therefore, acts chiefly as a vehicle to convey 

 the linseed to the stomach, an office which any thing of an 

 absorbing nature, suited to ruminating animals, will perform 

 as well with an extra quantity of linseed meal. 



According to the recipes in the Suggestions,' compounds 

 are made of about one part of linseed meal to two or three 

 parts of corn or pulse, or at the rate of eighteen pence for the 

 former, and two shillings and three pence for the latter. I 

 now take away the corn entirely, and add instead nine penny- 

 worth more of linseed meal, Thus eighteen pence is left for 

 the hay, &c., which is double their value. Hence nine pence 

 is saved by this compound. But when its bulk and satisfying 

 nature are taken into account, it will be found that a small 

 quantity only of turnips is required; which confirms my oft- 

 repeated opinion, that the expensive and precarious turnip- 

 crop ought no longer to be considered the sheet-anchor of 

 Norfolk farming an opinion the correctness of which is es- 

 tablished upon the following fact, viz. : this year, according to 

 my usual rotation, I should have grown about 12 acres of 

 turnips; instead of which I sowed six with linseed, and one 

 acre with potatoes, leaving five with turnips. Of the two 

 latter more than half remained unconsumed. Observe, the 



