38 ECONOMY OF FARMING. 



the ox must, in hay-fodder consume 50r0 lbs. of hay ; or with potatoes. 1272 lbs. of 

 hay, and 84 metzsn of potatoes ( = nearly 146 bushels)." 



Veit is also full on this subject. Yet as bis authority is high, I will quote him 

 somewhat at large. He examines the subject with reference to the choice of articles 

 of fooJ, the quantity, and modes of preparation See Vol II. p. 432. On grass- 

 pasture, he says : " This mode of fattening can be used only in rich lowlands, or 

 natural or artificial fat pastures, and on moist, w-arin. grassy mountainous regions. 

 Such rich pastures produce the cheapest fodder and hence the highest profit if the 

 grasses and plants on them possess sufficient nourishment to make the beasts fat. 



" Green fodder, clover-grass, and mixture of fodder. Cattle readily eat and fatten on 

 these kinds of green fodder ; but butchers complain of the want of the firmness and 

 productiveness of the fat ; and here it is usual to addat every feeding-time, especially 

 in the last period of iattening, ground-grain or other nutritive articles of food. 



" Hay of all sorts. Good meadow and clover hay, is very common as a principal 

 fattening-fodder, at least in the first and second periods of fattening, and with or 

 without juicy fodder ; and only in the third period of the commonly diminished ac- 

 tivity of the digestive power, is this voluminous fodder lessened, and instead of it, a 

 loss voluminous, richly nutritious and easily-digested kind given in a proportionate 

 quantity. 



" Knob and root-plants. These are used in very many farms, as the principal article 

 of feeding; because their volume is small, they can be easily mixed with all other 

 kinds of fodder-stuffs ; the most suitable proportion between tlie nutritive power and 

 the volume, between the watery and dry parts can be so easily regulated ; and the 

 tlirinaceous and saccharine principles, as the two most efficacious constituents of a 

 corresponding fattening food, exist in them in a great quantity, and in an easily-dis- 

 solved state. Of these the fattening-cattle can take g to i of the daily need of nutri- 

 tive substance, in hay-value. 



" Grains. These operate the most profitably in the production of flesh and fat in a 

 great quantity, and of the best quality, and are tlierofore the nios-f p:i('t^lh)it fattening 

 fbod. But their volume is too small to fill the belly sufficiently ; and hence they must 

 be mixed with more voluminous fodder-stuff. 



" Of particular efficacy is the ground grain fermented like bread-dough, and for this 

 purpose mixed with boiled potatoes is made into a thick dougli Avhich after 24 hours 

 is stirred up in its fermenting or fermented state in lukewarm water, and is used 

 partly as a drink, and pardy mixed wnth cbafl' ''or Facksvl). Eut among A\ the arti- 

 cles of food , the grain-fruits, malted and baked into bread, produced tlie greatest 

 effect. 



"Of the grain-fruits, it is usual to give ^, at the highest ;', of the reed of fodder in 

 hay value ; the less quantity in the beginning, and the orea-er towards the end of the 

 fattening. In an economical point of view, the grains belong to tl'e dearest materials 

 of fodder, unless their cultivation especially is so carried on, as to produce them with 

 the least cost. Whoever in fattening will employ the sfreatest euantity of \he 

 grains, must above all give his attention to the cheapest possible production of the same. 



"Of the kinds of straw, one should choose only a good, rot entirely ripe straw of 

 op.ts, barley, lentils, vetches and peas, which should be produced by the proportion of 

 his husbandry in large quantities, and for the most part only for the purpose of filling 

 up and extending the paunch in the first period of fattening, and to prepare it for the 

 reception of greater masses of food. 



"Oil-cake, of rape-seed, flax-seed, bran; the remains in the starch and b.^Pt-sugar 

 manufactare; whey, sour milk; horse-chestnuts, acorns; in short, all articles of 

 food, which possess much nutriment in a small volume, and can be obtained cheaper 

 than grain, are valuable aids in fattening". 



. " Salt belongs to the most excellent aids to keep the digestiv^e organs in crrnnior ac- 

 tivity, to increase the srrow^th of fit but especially to imrrove the ouality of the flesh 

 and fit. This should be given in sreater Quantity towards the end of the fattening 

 period. Only with the soured ("pickled ) fodder, l^ss salt need be given. Amonn- the 

 most efficacious aids to digestion, are reckoned bruisod o-entian-roofs. iunirer-berty 

 beer, and horse-chestnuts. They are mixed with salt. bran, and malt-shoots; let this 

 mixture be given ^ hour before the morning feedinsr. in the first period twice a week ; 

 in the second 4 times, and in the last daily. This mixture has a particularly profita- 

 ble influence in sickly and lean beasts. 



A principal question in foddering- fattening cattle is. How much fodder can he em- 

 ployed to advantage? All experience afrrees in this; — that it is only the rapid fat- 

 tening which gives the highest results. The more fodder one can give to the fatten- 



