^26 



AGRICULTUKAL ESSAYS. 



they contain. F<?r that reason, probably, cattle prefer the for- 

 mer, when both are offered thern. But this furnishes no con- 

 clusive evidence against the value of straw, any more than 

 the preference which most men might have to the most deli- 

 cious and expensive food, above that of the simple potato, 

 when both were offered on equal terms, would furnish against 

 the value of that root. It is not perhaps, well ascertained, 

 that well saved straw, free from rust or any other disease, 

 does not contain as much nutrative aliment as good hay, in 

 proportion to the fibrous substances v,?ith which they are res- 

 piectively coated. 



While cattle are kept on straw, they should have no hay 

 given them, and it should be placed in racks or mangers, to 

 prevent their trampling it under their feet ; and with a little 

 oil meal, or that of any other kind of grain, or succulent food, 

 as potatoes, turnigs, or carrots, they may be kept well, where 

 the whole experice of their keeping, taking into consideration 

 the value of seed taken from your straw, would not exceed 

 that of hay. It may answer a better purpose when fed to 

 sheep, to have it cut. and after being wet, and mixed with a 

 little of some kind of meal, such as the farmer may have at 

 hand. 



In a report of the Berkshire agricultural society, mention is 

 made of a straw cutter, with which it is stated, that two men, 

 the one to feed and the other to turn, will cut at the rate of 

 sixty bushels of chopped straw in an hour. 



But it is well attested by experiment, that either neat cattle 

 or horses will eat straw without cutting ; when fed with that or 

 any other kind of grain alternately, in moderate quantities, 

 having no hay ; and may be kept in good plight on such food, 

 irequiring at the same time hut little water. 



