451 THE OX. — FATTEXING. 



Low, an ox weighing 770 lbs., and consuming about 2223 lbs. of tur- 

 nips per week, if he thrive, will gain in the same space of time 

 nearly a stone in weight. Admitting that the equivalent number for 

 turnips is 676, 1 find that the ration of hay for this allowance comes 

 out 47.8 lbs., having produced exactly 2 lbs. of increase. 



In the information obtained in the Rhenish provinces by M. Moll, 

 in regard to the fattening of cattle under the influence of a regimen 

 which would give 11 lbs. of hay to every 100 lbs. of dead weight, 

 the animal will increase one third in weight in the course of three 

 or four months. 



To these general results I add a few particular facts, which are, 

 indeed, the only data in rural economy that can ever be received as 

 having much value. 



In a series of experiments which he undertook, Mr. Robert 

 Stephenson proposed to compare the progress of the increase in 

 weight of oxen upon different alimentary regimens. Starting with 

 the principle which we have already established, that animals con- 

 sume a quantity of food in proportion to their weight or size, when 

 they are under the same conditions, he had of course to divide his 

 stock into several lots, each made up of animals of as nearly as pos- 

 sible the same weight. Oxen of two years old, brought up on the 

 same farm, and kept in the same manner, were the subjects of exper- 

 iment. I shall select one experiment, in which the observations 

 were made upon three lots of six beasts each. The weight of each 

 lot was ascertained before and after the experiment, which was car- 

 ried oil for 119 days. 



The first lot was put upon white turnips, linseed oil-cake, beans, 

 and oats ; and for the last 24 days each beast had 20 lbs. of pota- 

 toes every day in addition. 



Tlie second lot was f.'d like the first, with the diflference that it 

 had no cake, and that during the last 24 days the quantity of pota- 

 toes allowed was but 10 lbs. per diem. 



The third lot had no other provender than turnips. 



Here are the weights and the nature of the provender consumed 

 by the animals during th3 119 days, with a column added contain- 

 ing the equivalent in hay corresponding with each of the articles 

 consumed : 



LOT I. LOT II. LOT IIL 



Equ Talent F/)uiTi|«nt &iaiT«l?nt Kqalvalrnt 



ProT-nJi-T. W.ifht in hay Wrijht in hay W«.ght In hiy a,»unn4. 



Whlto turnips.! 1513 171.6 ifi93 m.3 1122 '"l27' 835 



Swedes 13:336 197.5.4 133S1.3 19S0 12012 1777.8 676 



Beans 853 1559.S 8.->S 1559 " " 23 



Oil-cake 8S9 17t>S " » " « 22 



Oats 178 279 173 279 " •' 62 



Potatoes 479 151 289.8 77 " " 315 



Ration expressed in hay 6904 8971 1905 



It tlierofore plainly appears that the lot which had the largest 



