348 On Soiling Cattle. 



with board washing and lodging ; but it was under :\n 

 expectation of a present at the end of the year, if his 

 conduct merited it ; but confinement every Sunday not 

 being agreeable to him, the rest of the labourers on the 

 farm took each his Sunday in rotation at this business, 

 for which they were paid exclusively of their monthly 

 wages, and at the same rate, but no compensation is 

 expected for sunday attendance on the cattle during 

 winter, such attendance being customary. 



Numbers appear to dread the trouble and difficulty 

 attending soiling, who cheerfully acquiesce in whiter 

 stall feeding ; and the cleaning of troughs, varying food, 

 and humouring the appetite of animals, botli in respect 

 to quantity and quality, is submitted too without mur- 

 muring, because they have been accustomed to it, not- 

 withstanding it frequently happens, that accidental or 

 injudicious feeding but once, satiates cattle so much, 

 that it is found very difficult to get them to feed well 

 afterwards : not so with soiling, if too much be given, 

 the cattle will eat until they are fully satisfied, and if 

 after this is done, they become displeased with the re- 

 mainder in consequence of its having laid too long in 

 their cribs, if the contents are removed and fresh grass 

 given, they eat as freely as if nothing of this sort had 

 occurred ; neither have I observed variety necessary to 

 stimulate their appetites, but it is observable that al- 

 though in the field they are fondest of the tenderest 

 shoots, in the crib it is otherwise ; there, tender grasses 

 form a compact mass, with which they are not so well 

 pleased, as when further advanced in their growth^ and 

 this circumstance appears to form a solid reason, why 

 it has been found in Europe, that the same cattle gained 



