238 FOOD. 



necessity exist of using straw, none other is fit than 

 oat straw. ROWEN, or after-math, is generally sup- 

 posed to force milk, but in poor pastures perhaps the 

 first crop may be preferable ; and I have lately been 

 informed by a London cow-keeper, a good feeder, 

 that he has discontinued giving rowen to his cows, 

 finding the best hay most profitable. CARROTS are 

 an excellent winter food, indeed the best of the root 

 kind ; MANGOLD or BEET also affords a plentiful 

 supply ; which last, however, must be dispensed with 

 caution, cows having been hoven by it. If POTATOES 

 be given to cows, they should be steamed or baked ; 

 those who venture to give them raw and mashed, 

 should allow hay with them, as in the raw state and 

 freely dispensed, they seldom fail to bring the 

 scouring rot on cows. Bruised FURSE-TOPS are very- 

 good, and help to make capital winter butter. CAB- 

 BAGES may be given moderately, but TURNIPS make 

 thin milk and bad butter, in spite of all the nos- 

 trums which have been recommended as preventives. 

 The miserable practice of giving OIL-CAKE to cows, 

 insures greasy, unsubstantial, ill-scented butter, and 

 has a similar effect on veal. When substantial food 

 appears necessary, a daily moderate feed of oats 

 broken, or fine pollard, moistened with water, is 

 most proper. 



In a late conversation with the above-mentioned 

 cow-keeper, on the topics of hay and rowen, his 

 opinion was, that, if rowen be very good, it will 

 answer, as requiring a less quantity of greens than 

 hay. Hay, indeed, is most substantial, but requires 



