Book IV. STEAMING APPARATUS. 407 



grain, chafF, and hay, by moans of steaming apparatus, for the nourishment of cattle, begins 

 now to be generally luiderstood. It has been long known that many sorts of roots, and 

 particularly the potjitoe, become much more valuable by undergoing this sort of prepara- 

 tion. And it is equally well known that when thus prepared they have been employed 

 alone as a substitute for hay, and with cut chaff both for hay and corn, in the feeding of 

 horses, as well as other animals. To a farmer who keeps many horses or cattle, or even 

 swine or poultry, the practice of boiling their food in steam is so great a saving, and an ad- 

 vantage, that it deserves the most particular attention. Though potatoes have often been 

 given raw to both horses and cattle, they are found to be infinitely preferable when cooked 

 by steam, as they are rendered thereby much drier, and more nutritive, and better than 

 when boiled in water ; this has been long since shown by the experiments of Wakefield, of 

 Liverpool, who in order to ascertain it, fed some of his horses on steamed and some on 

 raw potatoes, and soon found the horses on the steamed potatoes had greatly the advan- 

 tage in every respect. Those on the steamed potatoes looked perfectly smooth and sleek, 

 while the others were quite rough. Eccleston also found them useful instead of corn ; 

 and the extensive and accurate trials of Curwen, have placed the utility and advantage of 

 tliem in this way beyond all dispute. Curwen has found that in their preparation in this 

 way the waste of the potatoe is about one-eighteenth part, and that straw when given 

 along with them answers equally well as hay, as the horses keep their condition and do 

 their work equally well. 



2652. A steaming apparatus on a grand scale has been erected at Workington, by 

 Curwen, of which an accurate ground plan and section with a copious description, 

 are given in The Co7nplete Farmer. (Art. Steaming Apparatus.) Though very extensive, it 

 is less perfect than some others which we sJjall describe. 



2653. An economical steaming and washing machine has been described by Grey, in 

 his Implements of Husbandry, c^c. The parts of this machine are few and simple; 

 the potatoes are washed and emptied into a large chest to drip ; and when a sufficient 

 quantity is washed, this chest, by a motion of the crane, empties itself into a steaming- 

 box, placed almost immediately over the boiler; by which means a large quantity of po- 

 tatoes or other materials are steamed at once. Tiie chief advantage attending the use of 

 tliis simple steaming apparatus, he says, consists in saving manual labor, lifting on and off 

 the tubs for holding the potatoes, or other materials to be steamed; also the expense of erec- 

 tion and repairs of leaden or copper pipes, turn-cocks, &c. Its superiority over one with a 

 number of steaming tubs, especially in a large operation, will be at once perceived by 

 those who have paid attention to the subject. The steaming boiler may be made of 

 any approved form, and of a size proportioned to the steaming-box, with a furnace of that 

 construction which alibrds the greatest quantity of heat to the boiler, with the smallest 

 waste of fuel. The steaming-box may be made either of cast metal plates, enclosed in a 

 wooden frame, or of stout pLuiks, well joined, and firmly fixed together. It has been 

 found by experience, that a box, eight feet in length, five feet wide, and three feet deep, 

 will serve for cooking, in the space of one hour, with the attendance of one person, a 

 sulHcient quantity of potatoes to feed fifty ordinary horses, allowing each horse thirty-two 

 pounds weight per day." The boiler and steaming-box, however, ought to be made of a 

 size in proportion to the number of cattle to be fed, or the quantity of materials to be 

 steamed; both boiler and steaming box may be made of any form and proportion that 

 will best answer the intended purpose, with the least expense. 



2654. A steaming machine on a simple and , , ^ <a ^ -g 



economical pla7i (Jig. 351.), consists of a ^"^ 



boiler and wooden chest or box placed over 



or near it. The box may be of any size, and 



so placed as to be supplied and emptied by 



wheel or hand barrows in the easiest manner, nCiiiiii3 



either by the end or top, or both, being made /\ >r ^ 



to open. If the box is made 8 feet by 5, and / | 



3 deep, it will hold as many potatoes as will I 



feed 50 cows for 24 hours, and these may be I (> I 



steamed in an hour. (F. Mag. \o\. x\in.\). 74.) - ' 



2655. Boilers or boiling machines are only had recourse to in the case of very small 

 establishments. By means of fixed boilers, or boilers suspended by cranes, on the Lodi 

 dairy principles (270), roots may be boiled, and chaff, weak corn, and other barn refuse, 

 rendered more palateable and nutritive to cattle. Hay tea also may be made, which is 

 a salutary and nutritive drink for horses or cattle when unwell, or for calving cows. 

 Food for swine and poultry may also be prepared in this way. or water boiled and 

 salted to half prepare chaff and culmiferous messes for animals. 



2656. A baking or roasting oven has been recommended for preparing the potatoe by 

 Pierrepont [Comm. Board of Ag. vol. iv.}, which he states to be attended with superior 

 advantages ; but as, independently of other considerations, the use of such an oven must 



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