COMMITTEE ON ROOT CULTURE. 



137 



iment made for that purpose, on a number of oxen or 

 heifers, not fewer than six ; the animals to he of the 

 same breed, age, and sex, and the term of feeding not 

 less than three months. Several reports were received 

 and published in 1834. From these we abstract the 

 following : 



Mr. Walker made his experiment with six two year 

 old heifers, and four two year old steers. Each parcel 

 was divided into two lots, and fed on like food, except 

 that one half received their food raw, and the other 

 half in a steamed or cooked state. The food consist- 

 ed of Swedish turnips, potatoes, and crushed beans, 

 with a little salt and straw. At the end of three 

 months, it was found that the three heifers fed on 

 steamed food had gained A8h stone, or 679 lbs. ; and 

 the three heifers fed upon raw food had gained A5i 

 stone ; but the quantity consumed by the first lot ex- 

 ceeded that of the latter. 



Cost of feeding on steamed food, . . . . £14 13 



" " on raw food. 10 8 7^ 



The first cost more than the last, . . . . i> 3 14 8i 



Deducting the first cost and the price of fattening 

 from the price paid by the butcher, there remained a 

 profit on the three heifers fed with steamed food of 

 9s. ; while the profit on the three fattened with raw 

 food amounted to £3 10s. 6d. By a like estimate, the 

 loss on the steers fed with steamed food was 3s. 8d. 

 and the profit on those fed with raw food, 10s. 6d. 



Andrew Howden made a like experiment with 

 eighteen cattle, in six lots. Their increase and ex- 

 pense of keeping for three months, from the 20th 

 March to the 20th June, were as follows : 



Incr. in lbs. Expense. 



Three heifers on raw turnips, .... 392 £6 18 



" " on steamed turnips, . . . 532 8 18 



" " on raw potatoes, . . . 600 10 7 



" " on steamed potatoes, . . 572 10 7 



" steers on raw potatoes and corn, 722 9 4 



'-5 " on boiled " " 689 9 5^ 



