410 STEAMING FOOD FOR STOCK. 



and sustains his own opinion by the concurrent testimony 

 of other practical farmers who have found the practice bene- 

 ficial. 



The following are the results of the operation as stated by 

 Mr. Stewart: 



" 1. It renders mouldy hay, straw, and corn-stalks per- 

 fectly sweet and palatable. Animals seem to relish straw 

 taken from a stack which has been wet and badly damaged 

 for ordinary use ; and even in any condition, except ' dry 

 rot,' steaming will restore its sweetness. When keeping a 

 large stock, we have often purchased stacks of straw which 

 would have been worthless for feeding in the ordinary way, 

 and have been able to detect no difference, after steaming, 

 in the smell or the relish with which it was eaten. 



u 2. It diffuses the odor of the bran, corn-meal, oil-meal, 

 carrots, or whatever is mixed with the feed, through the 

 whole mass ; and thus it may cheaply be flavored to suit the 

 animal. 



" 3. It softens the tough fibre of the dry corn-stalk, rye- 

 straw, and other hard material, rendering it almost like 

 green succulent food, and easily masticated and digested by 

 the animal. 



" 4. It renders beans and peas agreeable food to horses, as 

 well as other animals, and thus enables the feeder to com- 

 bine more nitrogenous food in the diet of his animals. 



u 5. It enables the feeder to turn everything raised into 



