154 



AGRICULTURAL ESSAYS. 



pounds and one qaarter of their weight, by drying it for a state 

 of preservation: and when we consider the great prevalence df 

 water in the composition of vegetables, we are led to conclude 

 that this loss consists of those substantial aliments which are es- 

 sential to the support of animal life." 



It must be expected then, that the growth of cattle, fed only 

 on such food during nearly half the 3''ear, anl often only a scan- 

 ty pittance of that, will be stunted in their growth. 



It may be observed that there is a certain period of time, in 

 which animals, according to the laws which govern their 

 growth, arrive to maturity, and beyond which their natural 

 weight will not be increased. If then, during a considerable 

 part of this time, to wit, that part in which they are kept on dry 

 food through the cold season, the progress of their growth is re- 

 tarded, or perhaps stayed intirely, they never can be expected 

 to arrive to that size and value, as if they were so nurtured that 

 their growth continually progressed until they arrived to the 

 utmost extent of size and value of which their constitutions 

 would admit. If then, a plenty of succulent food given to cat- 

 , tie, thrDugh the cold season, will in a great measure have the ef- 

 fect to continue their growth, it is a natural conclusion, that 

 such nurture of cattle, by the English farmers, is one great 

 cause of the great superiority of theirs to those in general of 

 our own country. 



When roots of any description, proper and useful to feed cat- 

 tle, are preserved from the frost for furnishing food during the 

 winter season, it is well known that they retain their native jui- 

 ces; and it is pretty evident from the observation and experi- 

 ence of the English farmers, as well as from some of our own, 

 -that those alimentary juices in such roots, are a most efficacious 

 substitute for green cropfe of grass. And there is no doubt but 

 that those cattle in England, so distinguished for their extraor- 

 dinary sire, and valuable properties, are in a great measure in- 

 debted to their being kept in part on succulent food through the 

 cold season. 



Perhaps it may not be for the farming interest, at present, to 

 go so extensbively into the system of raising roots for the feed- 

 ing of cattle, as is practised in England and some other parts of 

 Europe, because we have more land for grazing, and the price of 

 labor here is much higher. But there can be no doubt but that it 

 would greatly improve the farming interest, to make the use of 

 succulent food for cattle, the means by which we may gradu- 

 ally improve the breed, instead of incurring the enormous ex- 

 pense of importing cattle for that purpose from Europe ; and 



