Mr. Curwen on the Means, &c. lay 



The daily expense of the feed of a milch-cow near London, is estimated during 

 the winter months at two shillings per day. The usual allowance as under : 



One and a half bushel of grains - - o o g 



Two bushels of turnips, at 5^, per bushel - o o lo 



Twelve pounds of hay - - - 005 



Where bay alone was given, or in chief part, I was not so fortunate as to be 

 able to find a single instance, in which any steps had been taken to ascertain the 

 quantity of hay consumed in the feeding one, or any number of cows ; or the 

 supposed expense attending it. The answer my enquiries received, in one of 

 the first dairy districts near to London, where hay only is used, was, " That they 

 " gave just as much hay as the cows would eat." From the few trials I have made 

 with the long-horned cattle, I am inclined to believe a milch-cow would consume 

 in the twenty-four hours, from two stone to two stone and a half of hay. 



The objections against feeding with hay are. First, the expense, which is much 

 too high in the situations where milk is most required, to enable the dairy-man to 

 afford it, either in sufficient quantities, or at a price to benefit the poor. Secondly, 

 there are, besides, few populous towns so circumstanced as to admit of a sufficient 

 quantity of hay-ground being procured for the support of an extensive winter 

 dairy ; but, Thirdly, supposing it could be had, the superior profits to be made by 

 a summer dairy would decide in favour of applying it to that purpose. 



Most farmers consider it as more profitable to make butter in winter, than to 

 sell their milk, I strongly suspect their calculations on this subject are not very 

 correctly made, as I shall etideavour to show. 



Having no means of procuring grains, and the price of hay precluding the possi^ 

 bility of employing it in feeding milch-cows with any prospect of advantage, I was 

 driven to the necessity of adopting some other method. 



On the first proposition for substituting green-food for the support of my dairy 

 in winter, I was discouraged by a very prevalent opinion, that they could not be 

 kept in condition, or health, on this food alone. I should most probably have de- 

 clined the attempt, had I not witnessed the complete success of other experiment;!, 

 as much at variance with received opinions and common practice. 



