PRACTICAL FARMER. 



77 



dry litter to the fore feet of the cows ; these were 

 preferred to iron, which sometimes injured the 

 animals' feet. Each milker had a coarse towel, a 

 wash ng cloth, a currycomh and a hair-cloth. 



Early in the season, part of the pro])rietor's farm 

 and some small fields contiguous totlie cow-house, 

 weie sown with barley and grass seeds; these 

 were watered with cow urine by means of an en 

 gine upon the principle of a fire engine. There 

 was also used for that purpose hand-barrows with 

 broad wheels, upon which barrels were placed 

 filled with urine. Under the barrels were placed 

 conductors about eight feet long, perforated with 

 small holes ; these barrels were easily wheeled 

 along the rich soft ground, which would have been 

 destroyed by horses and carts. The urine was 

 carted to the fields in large casks, from which it 

 was carried in stands resting on spokes to the en- 

 gine and barrows. 



The grass of the fields thus irrigated was cut 

 5 or 6 times a year ; and though not very long in 

 the b!ade, there was a great weight of produce. 

 Indeed, it was so thick and rich that it would 

 have rotted unless cut often. 



The first cutting generally commenced about 

 the middle of April, and was continued once a 

 month. The gra<s was cut during the day, when 

 the weather was wet or moist ; but when it was 

 dry, it was cut late at night or early in the morn- 

 ing, and the field irrigated immediatety after being 

 cut; the process was sometimes performed dnr- 

 ing the night. Sir John Sinclair visited one of 

 ihese fields, which has been cut sixteen times in 

 three years. 



There was a public washing-house adjoining 

 the dairy, all the soap suds from which was car- 

 ried into a well or tank, and applied in the same 

 way as urine ; and sometimes the two liquids 

 were mixed together, or if the weather was very 

 dry the urine was diluted with water. If private 

 families were to preserve their soap suds, and the 

 urine of their cow, if they have one, it would be 

 found of essential benefit in manuring their gar- 

 dens. 



The provender commonly used at Willowbank 

 consisted of hay, straw, grass and green barley ; 

 also Swedish turnips, and the diflTerent varieties 

 of Aberdeen yellow, red tops, &c., also mangel 

 wurtzel, carrots, cabbage, ground oilcake, bruised 

 beans, and other grains. 



Mangel wurtzel was recommended to the pro- 

 prietor as provender for his cows upon an eco- 

 nomical ground. He accordingly made a trial 

 of it in 1814, but the result did not answer his ex- 

 pectation. It was not productive as a crop, ex- 

 cept in particular soils, such for instance as suited 

 carrots. Besides it did not stand the frost, and it 

 was found necessary to be taken up in the fall, the 

 tops cut off, and the roots used during the winter 



mixed with other provender. A trial was made 

 with this root and Swedish turnips ; a correspond- 

 ing weight of each was given to two lots of cows 

 of equal numbers, and great attention was paid to 

 the quantity and quality of (nilk produced, and the 

 improvement in the condition of the cattle. In 

 these res|)ects, however, there was found to be lit- 

 tle or no variation. The quantity and quality of 

 the milk, and the improvement in the condition of 

 the cattle were much the same ; but as the man- 

 gel wurtzel did not stand the frost, and moreover 

 required a deep soil in the cultivation, the Swed- 

 ish turnips were necessarily preferred. 



About this time, Mr Coke of Norfolk, lost some 

 cows, and other agriculturists had their cattle 

 much injured by cutting mangel wurtzel ; a cir- 

 cumstance which excited intense interest, not un- 

 mixed with serious apprehensions, anil gave rise 

 to much discussions in the periodicals of the day 

 on the merits of that root. There was no instance, 

 however, in the Willowbank Dairy of any bad ef- 

 fects resulting from the use of it. The quantity 

 given as a mixture, however, was comparatively 

 small, except on the occasion just noticed, when 

 trial was made of it with the turnips; and before 

 that trial was made, the roots had laid a consid- 

 erable time in a dry cellar, whereas Mr Coke's 

 cattle had the roots and leaves when full of 

 juice. 



These statements hy Mr Harley, seem to me of 

 considerable importance. I have had considera- 

 ble experience in raising both the mangel wurtzel 

 and the ruta baga. The mangel wurtzel is a far 

 less certain crop than the ruta baga. It yields of- 

 ten a great amount to the acre, though either 

 through the seeds not germinating, or the plants 

 being cut off after it came up, there were always 

 large vacancies, however, I usually filled up with 

 ruta baga. The mangel wurtzel was liable to be 

 injured by the frosts, and in my own experience 

 it has not kept by any means so well as the 

 ruta baga. As feed for milk cows, I have found 

 them always very fond of it ; that it greatly in- 

 creased their milk ; but at the same time rather 

 disordered their bowels and very much reduced 

 their flesh. I have giving it however in good 

 quantities, at the rate often of a bushel after being 

 cut, to a cow per day. Some gentlemen, for whose 

 skill and experience I have great respect, have 

 used and highly approved it. John Lowell, Esq. 

 speaks of its use for milch cows in terms of strong 

 commendation. To ruta baga I have no objec- 

 tion to be urged excepting the taste, which Cob- 

 bett, in his enthusiasm for rura baga, insisted ui)on 

 it, that this peculiar flavor was absolutely agreea- 

 ble ; but to many persons it is extremely nau- 

 seous. If the turnips are sound and no decayed 

 parts are given, this taste is not always percepti- 

 ble ; but it becomes so as soon as it is heated, the 



