60 ON FATTENING CATTLE AND SWINE. 



ON FATTENING CATTLE AND SWINE. 



The Committee on the Fattening of Cattle and Swine 

 Keport : 



That they have received no claims for premi- 

 ums on this subject ; but inasmuch as it is one that 

 should command more of the attention of our farmers, 

 they beg leave to make a few suggestions for their con- 

 sideration. Every well conducted farm will have a 

 surplus of produce for the market in some form or other. 

 If the grain, hay, and vegetables raised, are carried di- 

 rectly to the "market, this will necessarily impoverish 

 the farm, and diminish its power of production, unless 

 care shall be taken to return a corresponding propor- 

 tion of manure. By a judicious consumption of these 

 articles on the farm, there is a certainty that the supply 

 of manure will be well sustained. We believe it to be 

 a very common practice with our best farmers to fat 

 one or two pair of cattle, with several other animals, 

 every season. We have no doubt that they find a good 

 account in so doing. Since the practice of raising veg- 

 etables for fattening of cattle has come into use, those 

 who have raised them have brought them to a good 

 market in this manner. Particularly if their supply of 

 Indian corn is such as to admit of mixing a moderate 

 proportion of meal with such vegetables. 



Although the former may not at first realize so much 

 cash when he feeds out his crops to his cattle and 

 swine, as when he deals them out by the bushel in the 

 market ; — still wdien he takes into view the time lost in 

 attending upon the market — the deficiency of nutritive 

 qualities on the farm, in consequence of these articles 

 not having been consumsd at home ; and the uncer- 

 taint}' at times of finding a ready and advantageous 

 sale ; — he will do well at all times, to make arrange- 

 ments for using a good proportion of his produce on his 

 own farm. We do not advance these views as mere 

 speculative theories, but as the result of our observa- 

 tion among good farmers ; and we challenge the inves- 



