274 MANAGEMENT OP GRASS LANDS. 



that "grain, roots, vegetable matter of every kind, even grass 

 itself, is found much improved as a food for cattle, when it has 

 been fully subjected to the operations of steaming. WILLIAM 

 PENN KINZER, Esq., of Lancaster county, Pa., prepares his 

 grain by "boiling in proportion of one bushel of grain to forty 

 gallons water. For fattening, I have found one-third of corn 

 to two-thirds of bran sufficient; but if the process is to be 

 hastened, the proportion is reversed. * * * By this me- 

 thod, cattle and hogs are fattened in half the time that is re- 

 quired on raw grain, with an economy of grain infinitely great." 

 Milch cows with the same feed, yielded a surprising increase 

 of milk and cream. Steaming, says Mr. K., I confine entirely 

 to every variety of roots. 



Numerous experiments have been made to ascertain the ad- 

 vantages of preparing the food of cattle either by steaming or 

 boiling, over the old method of feeding raw. The result has 

 been almost invariably in favour of the practice; but the opi- 

 nion long entertained, and warmly inculcated, that by this 

 process the nutritive properties of the food thus prepared, is 

 increased or augmented, is entirely erroneous. The food, when 

 cooked, is unquestionably more readily digested; and by this 

 means it is, that the animals receive more nourishment from a 

 given quantity cooked or steamed food, than the same amount 

 if fed raw. Steamed food is never of the same advantage to 

 ruminating animals, as to those with single stomachs, as the 

 horse and the hog. Experiments upon equal quantities of 

 food cannot, indeed, be considered as decisive upon the feeding 

 properties of cattle, as they cannot all be supposed to have 

 appetites alike, or be in a disposition most favourable to the 

 taking on of fat. 



Recent experiments made in consequence of premiums 

 offered by the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, 

 have had a tendency to throw much doubt on the practice. 

 The animals selected were fed on ruta-baga, potatoes, and 

 beans. When put up on the 20th of February, the difference 

 in the total live weight was but half a pound, and when 

 slaughtered on the 20th of May, the total difference in favour 

 of the three animals fed on steamed food, over the three fed on 

 raw, was but four pounds; while on the other hand the three 

 heifers fed on steamed food had consumed about one-fifth more 

 food than the others. In this consists the loss, with the time 

 and expense of steaming. This experiment is not conclusive, 

 and is wholly overthrown by the every-day experience of 

 many of our practical and intelligent farmers. 



The propriety and profit of stall feeding with grain, will, in 

 a great measure, depend upon the price of the latter. The 



