156 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



farmer should strive for, is to bring every transaction within 

 the range of calculation. Within reasonable limits, with 

 regard to accuracy, we can calculate the amount of food which 

 will be required to add 200 lbs. or 300 lbs. to a bullock, or 

 50 lbs. or 60 lbs. to a sheep. When purchase or sale by weight 

 is established, one of the most important transactions of the 

 farm will be settled on a sound commercial basis. 



In the same place Sir John Lawes makes one or two 

 other remarks which well deserve the attention of every 

 practical farmer : — 



Under the present system store stock is often purchased at 

 a price which results in a loss upon the transaction far exceed- 

 ing the value of the manure obtained. Twenty tons of turnips 

 cut up and ploughed in, and a ton of rape-cake, possess more 

 manure properties than the same weight of roots fed with a 

 ton of linseed cake. Unless, therefore, the animals when fat 

 make considerably more than the difference between the price 

 of the two cakes, we should surely do better without them. 



It is scarcely necessary to observe that the principle of 

 selling by live weight is advocated for animals which are 

 bred or fed for the butcher. No one suggests that 

 breeding or pedigree beasts should be valued by specific 

 gravity. They have an individuality which is the index 

 of their price. The purchase and sale of them is, and 

 must from the nature of things be, speculative. But 

 food has an absolute value which is contingent only upon 

 its quality, and upon the law of supply and demand. If a 

 farmer sells a sack of wheat, a load of straw, or a dairy of 

 butter, he knows just how much he disposes of, and 

 expects to be paid according to the precise quantity. He 

 does not guess the quantity, and leave the purchaser the 

 chance of getting so much more than he bargained for. 

 Surely the principle which is applicable in these cases 

 ought also to be applicable to the beef and mutton which 

 he sells. 



Although the breeder does not immediately come 

 within the province of this paper, it may be said, in 

 passing, that he would probably benefit very considerably 

 by the adoption of the scales as an aid to him in his 



