A VAPJETY OF FOOD. 303 



putting in, then covered over with straw or old hay to the depth 

 of a foot or more ; and if not enough to fill up this space at 

 once, better let it remain in cock on the field till you have the 

 desired quantity. Hay thus made will not require cutting, 

 steaming or sprinkling to induce cows to eat it ; and its nutri- 

 tive qualities, all are aware, are very much more than any other 

 sort of fodder. 



But as we do not wish to be understood that all hay is better 

 than a variety of food, we will offer the following in comparison : 

 If we have ten cows of 800 pounds each, it makes 8,000 pounds. 

 Now the estimate being three per cent, live weiglit, 180 days 

 each daily in good hay or its equivalent, to keep up their system 

 when not in milk, is 43,200 pounds. Supposing they are in 

 good flow of milk, it will require to keep up this flow and meet 

 the wear and tear through the winter season, one per cent, 

 more to be added, or 14,400 pounds. Thus it will need about 

 twelve acres of the best upland to furnish this amount, if 

 all hay, worth about $450. Now of this twelve acres we take 

 one acre for roots ; and, if properly planted and cultivated, will 

 give 48,000 pounds, at twenty cents per bushel, (a small price,) 

 is IIGO ; the hay on the other eleven acres is 27| tons, -$412 ; 

 total, 1572. We will sell the surplus of roots and hay to find 

 the balance between all hay, or roots, grain and hay, required 

 to supply the one per cent, for the eight tons taken from the 

 thirty tons on the whole twelve acres, leaving off fractions. 

 We shall need 17;| tons roots, 1*117 ; 1| tons of oil-meal or 

 corn-meal, |90 ; or three tons fine feed is the same as above. 

 Now 22 tons of hay, at $15, is $330 ; extra cost of growing roots 

 over hay, $35 ; total, $572. By charging cows with the above, 

 it leaves us six tons of hay to sell at $15, $90, and six and a 

 half tons of roots, at twenty cents per bushel, $43 ; extra value 

 of manure, at ten per cent., is $27 ; one quart of milk extra 

 from each cow, 60 cents per day, $108 ; total, $268. The time 

 above is based on 180 days. 



Now take the credit from the debit, it leaves a debit of $304. 

 Having credited the twelve acres, as before seen, for hay, $450, 

 we must take what it has cost over the credit, as just shown, 

 and we have a balance in favor of the variety of food, over all 

 hay, $146. 



