188 WORCESTER SOCIETY. 



required to keep up the temperature. This case forms a very 

 distinct proof that warmth is an equivalent for food. 



" But I need only refer you to the results of your own expe- 

 rience, for every breeder of cattle must be aware, in the win- 

 tering of young stock, that they thrive better, with less con- 

 sumption of food, when kept well sheltered from cold and 

 wet." 



Of the advantage in cutting hay for stock, we have in this 

 country but little evidence. The general opinion of farmers 

 has been in favor of cutting hay, where any considerable por- 

 tion was of inferior quality, especially if it was intended to 

 feed meal with it, that the whole might be mixed together, 

 and less would be wasted. So some experiments have been 

 had in feeding cut hay and straw together, but the trials have 

 not been carried out so fully as to show the advantage (if any) 

 in cutting food for stock in the quantity eaten, and if any, in 

 what it consisted. Whether it would pay to cut good hay, 

 charging for the labor of doing it, is a question of which there 

 is much difference of opinion. Some have believed that by 

 the cutting of the hay, the digestion was aided; the animal 

 being able to fill itself in less time, would have more leisure 

 to chew the cud, thereby more completely extracting the nu- 

 tritive qualities from the hay and derive more benefit from it. 

 Others have contended that the animal eating the same quan- 

 tity of hay would be prejudiced in having it cut — that in the 

 eating of the long hay the saliva which assists in digestion 

 w^ould be more intimately mixed with the food, and more 

 nourishment would be extracted from it. This is denied by 

 the advocates of cutting. They claim that the gastric juice is 

 mixed with the food when chewing the cud, and the animal 

 having more time for that operation would realize most benefit 

 from its food. That there might be some slight benefit in cut- 

 ting good hay, as there was less liability of its being wasted 

 in getting a portion of it under their feet, was admitted; but 

 it was said that this would be very inconsiderable, if the Qattle 

 were judiciously fed in small quantities and often ; and it was 

 contended that there could be no other advantage in cutting 

 hay, than in preventing waste in some degree. 



The several statements of Messrs. Demond, Dodge, Lincoln, 

 and Hawes are appended to this report, as a part thereof, 



