390 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXIV. 



as decisive upon llie feeding properties of cattle, as they cannot all liavc 

 appetites alike ; but from this it will be perceived that — except with 

 turnips, which from the circumstance stated in the note were not'fairly tried 

 — the raw food had the advantage ; besides being clear of all charge on 

 steaming, which is not included in the cost of food, though the expense, 

 with coals at a tolerably cheap rate, is estimated at 10s per head. The 

 table also shows that, if the calculations be made at the market prices 

 stated, potatoes, beans, and oats, taken together in certain proportions, may 

 be converted into beef at a lower price, and unquestionably of belter (quality, 

 than either turnips or potatoes used alone ; for it appears that the cost of 

 the increase of beef was, within a fraction, at the rate of 



3^(/. per lb. with turnips alone. 



4^cL ,, potatoes do. 



3|(/. „ potatoes and corn. 



A third experiment was made by John Boswell, Esq., of Bahnuto 

 and Kingcausie, on ten horned beasts of one breed, which were })ut 

 up on the 15th of October, and divided into two lots, — 

 That on raw food weighing 183 st. 11 lb. Dutch. 

 „ steamed do. „ 179 „ 10 „ do. 



and fed from that day until they were slaughtered with yellow bullock 

 turnip, without leaves or roots, and round pink potato, commonly 

 called the " Perthshire reds." The cattle, being all exceedingly tame, 

 took to the raw food at once ; but those which were put upon the 

 steamed food hardly tasted it for several days, so that by the ISth 

 they had a very jaded appearance. Nothing, however, was given to 

 them but fresh steamed food until they took to it — the stalls being 

 carefully cleaned out every day, and the stale stuff given to the pigs ; 

 but at length they seemed to relish it as well as that which was raw. 

 Both turnips and potatoes were served out together, and it was 

 observed by the feeder that the bullocks on raw food regularly finished 

 the potatoes before one turnip was tasted ; whereas those on prepared 

 food picked out the steamed turnips in preference to the potatoes. 

 The liquor from the steamed turnips, which has an agreeable smell 

 and taste, was retained and mixed with the food ; while that of the 

 potatoes, which is generally thought prejudicial, was drawn off. The 

 other differences of feeding on the two kinds of food were so far in 

 favour of that upon the steamed — that the beasts consumed it sooner 

 than when raw; that their dung was, from the first, without any 

 appearance of purging, as well as free from that abominable smell 

 which is perceptible when cattle are fed upon raw potatoes ; and that 

 they consumed much less than those on raw. 

 This latter fact, it cannot but be observed, is singularly in opposition to 

 that stated in the experiments by Mr. Walker ; yet, although the dead 

 weights of the separate lots are not stated, the butcher who slaughtered 

 them certified that they were both exactly alike, both in weight and quality. 

 Notwithstanding which, it, however, appears from the statement, " that it is 

 not worth the trouble and expense of preparation to feed cattle on boiled or 

 steamed food ; for although there may be a saving of food, it is coimter- 

 balanced by the cost of fuel and labour, and can only be gone 'nto pro- 

 fitably where food is very high, and coal very low." 



SIZE. 



It has not yet been proved by decisive experiments, whether the large or 

 small-sized oxen pay best for the food they eat ; but the trials which have 



