STEAMING 'FOOD FOR STOCK. 



A more recent improvement than ' soiling" in the keep- 

 ing of cattle, on farms where it is important to make every 

 pound of food tell with the fullest effect in the production 

 of meat, muscle, or milk (and on what farm is this not im- 

 portant?), is the steaming of food in winter. 



Although this practice has been the subject of much less 

 experiment than soiling, and is, consequently, less generally 

 recognized as worthy of adoption, enough is known of its 

 advantages, both by experience and from theory, to make 

 its brief discussion necessary to the completeness of this 

 book. 



During the past year I have investigated the subject with 

 some thoroughness, and have determined to adopt it on my 

 own farm ; and I can hardly do better than to give here 

 some account of my investigations, in order that my readers 

 may decide for themselves the soundness of my reasons for 

 the determination. 



My serious attention was first called to the matter by an 

 article in the Report of the Department of Agriculture for 

 1865, written by Mr. E. W. Stewart of North Evans, K Y. 

 He therein details his own experience of ten years in steam- 

 ing food for a large stock of cattle and horses, gives a suc- 

 cinct statement of the reasons why steaming is beneficial. 



