138 MR. HORSFALL'S COURSE OF FEEDING. 



other food, but these were found to be apt to make the 

 cattle grain-sick ; and if this feeding were long con- 

 tinued, the health of the cows became affected. Boiled 

 linseed and short-cut wheat-straw mixed with the 

 grains were found to prevent the cows from turning 

 sick. As spring approached, Swedish turnips, when 

 cheap, were substituted for yellow turnips. These two 

 roots, steamed with hay and other mixtures, afforded 

 soft food till grass was again in season. When any of 

 the cows were surfeited, the food was withheld till the 

 appetite returned, when a small quantity was given, 

 and increased gradually to the full allowance. 



But the most elaborate and valuable experiments in 

 the feeding and management of milch cows are those 

 recently made by Mr. T. Horsfall, of England, and pub- 

 lished in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society. 

 His practice, though adapted, perhaps, more especially 

 to his own section, is nevertheless of such general 

 application and importance as to be worthy of attention. 

 By his course of treatment he found that he could pro- 

 duce as much and as rich butter in winter as in 

 'summer. 



His first object was to afford a full supply of the ele- 

 ments of food adapted to the maintenance and also to 

 the produce of the animal ; and this could not be effected 

 by the ordinary food and methods of feeding, since it is 

 impossible to induce a cow to consume a quantity of 

 hay requisite to supply the waste of the system, and 

 keep up, at the same time, a full yield of the best 

 quality of milk. He used, to some extent, cabbages, 

 kohl rabi, mangolds, shorts, and other substances, rich 

 in the constituents of cheese and butter. " My food for 

 milch cows," says he, " after having undergone various 

 modifications, has for two seasons consisted of rape-cake 

 five pounds and bran two pounds, for each cow, mixed 



