362 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



those you select; he may be a great trouble to you; and although the jobber may think you 

 have selected them badly, he will sell them according to what they are worth at the time, and 

 the present weight is the great point with him. For this reason, always select the animals 

 before purchasing, rather than agree to give a certain price per head to pick where you like 

 from the drove. 



"I think the quality of an animal is of more consequence than his form for common fatten- 

 ing purposes, but have both good if you can. But if you are thinking of fattening an animal 

 to show for a prize, be sure to have his form as perfect as possible, for all the flesh you may 

 lay on him will not hide any great defect in his form ; also ascertain, if possible, how .the ani- 

 mal is descended: ten to one, but the progeny becomes similar to the progenitor. But this is 

 generally a most unprofitable affair, and I strongly recommend all young farmers to leave it 

 in the hands of those gentry who can afford the loss, many of whom there -are in the country, 

 and they deserve our best thanks for their patriotism, for it certainly shows the capabilities 

 of different breeds, and thereby enables the observing farmer to profit by the experience of 

 others. Never buy any animals that are excessively poor; they will consume a great deal 

 of food before they are got into health enough to fatten; for, depend upon it, unless your 

 animals are well-bought, fatting cattle will never pay enough to leave the manure clear profit, 

 which it ought to do, although I fear with the majority of farmers it is far otherwise. 



"Summer Grazing. I shall say but little with respect to summer grazing, as the wording of 

 the Society's advertis^nent appears to apply more particularly to winter fattening; merely 

 remarking that the fences should always be kept thoroughly good, a weak place being 

 strengthened before it becomes a gap prevention, in this case, like many others, being better 

 than cure ; that the bullocks should be well supplied with water, and have plenty of shade ; 

 never allow them to be frightened by dogs, etc. ; treat them kindly, and they will soon cease 

 to fear your presence ; do not let a day pass, if you can help it, without seeing them. There 

 is an old saying which ought to be impressed on every farmer's memory it has been of great 

 service to me in the course of my life; it is: 'The master's eye grazeth the ox.' A friend 

 of mine has lately adopted a plan, which under the same ^circumstances I should strongly 

 recommend ; it is that of giving a small quantity of oil-cake to animals grazing, for the sake 

 of improving an ordinary pasture, and its effects are astonishing. The pastures I allude to 

 are small, and one or two bullocks more than they are calculated to carry are put into each ; 

 the lot are then allowed four pounds of cake per day per head; this, at a cost of about two 

 shillings per head per week, which I believe the stock well paid for, has entirely altered the 

 face of pastures from what they were three years ago, when the plan was first adopted by 

 him, and I believe without any loss to himself. 



" Winter Feeding. I now come to the point of winter feeding. First, as to the places in 

 which they are kept, I unhesitatingly give my opinion in favor of stall-feeding, for all the 

 common purposes of grazing, but not for young beasts that are to be summered again, or for 

 prize oxen ; the former should have small well-sheltered yards, with good sheds ; if the fences 

 are so high that they cannot see over, it is much the better ; and the latter, loose boxes, with 

 plenty of room for them to walk about, because they have to be kept up for such a long 

 period, that, if no exercise were taken, the health might suffer. It is the abuse of stall- 

 feeding that 'has got it into disrepute with some people, and the not treading down straw 

 enough with others. This last I hold to be an advantage, instead of a disadvantage ; for, 

 depend upon it, it is not the size of the dunghill, but the quality of the manure, that causes 

 the farmer's stack-yard to be well filled. If managed well, I contend that there is no plan so 

 good as stall-feeding. The fattening-house may be of any size or shape, but it is necessary 

 that there should be underground drains, with gratings, to carry off the urine into the liquid- 

 manure tank ; shutters behind the bullocks, to regulate the heat, and a wide passage at their 

 heads to feed them and clean their mangers. The advantages I conceive to be, the quantity 

 of litter required being smaller, therefore the muck being made better, the temperature being 

 more easily regulated, and every bullock being allowed to eat his share in peace. The disad- 

 vantage of the animal not being able to rub himself as well, I consider fully done away with 

 by the rough brush which I recommend using ; and although theorists may fancy the health 

 of the animal likely to suffer, I have never found it so in practice. 



