FEEDING STOCK. 339 



early dawn ; tliey smoke before as lie turns tlie furrow for his 

 seed ; they draw the manure that makes his crops ; they draw 

 his wagons that gather his hay and ripened grain ; and they go 

 with him to the woods to seek his winter's fuel. 



Sometimes they are ill used; and. occasionally are most 

 harshly and unjustly punished. Still, their patient, uncomplain- 

 ing good nature never leaves them, and they are ready again to 

 labor, and suffer if they must, for their master. And when the 

 spring and vigor of their life is over, and before old age comes 

 on, their master fattens and kills them, and makes of them his 

 daintiest feast ; though the kindness of a true farmer's heart 

 usually leaves to other hands, and a distant market, this last,, 

 unkindest cut of all. 



With such close daily associations, it is not wonderful that 

 the farmer loves his oxen, and prides himself on their excellence. 



He owes to his own thrift to obtain the best kind, to his 

 good taste that they be fine looking, and to his better nature 

 to use them well. 



C. B. Farnswoeth, Chairman. 



COMPARATIVE VALUE OF CROPS AS FOOD FOR 



CATTLE. 



ESSEX. 



The committee on the comparative value of crops as food for 

 cattle have received no statement respecting this subject for 

 the past two years. Being chairman of that committee, I have 

 often been requested by several members of the society, to give 

 the result of my experience. I feel extremely reluctant in so 

 doing, not because I am not fully satisfied by that result, but 

 because it differs so much from that of able and distinguished 

 agriculturists in other parts of the State. Nevertheless, if 

 this communication should stimulate others to make further ex- 

 periments, so that we can arrive at the true value of the differ- 

 ent kinds of food for cattle, although they may differ much from 



