FOOD OF THE COW. 25 



manured after each cutting, from 6 to 8 tons per ' acre 

 each. time. It is not always at once very welcome in cow 

 food. There is a certain bitterness that is distasteful, 

 and we have known of late when it has been given 

 as a useful food cut up in the chaff-cutter and sweetened 

 with the addition of a pint of treacle or 1 Ih. of coarse 

 sugar, both of them cheap foods just now (1885). 

 (8.) Sainfoin may be classed with the clovers as to 

 quality and quantity of produce, but can rarely be cut more 

 than once a year. It is available for several years on the 

 same land, requiring of course to be manured if constantly 

 cut ; suitable for rocky and calcareous soils, where clovers 

 are not generally so successful ; and yielding probably 10 

 to 12 tons of green food, under ordinary management, per 

 acre. (9.) Gorse crushed, and given with other food, is 

 liked by cows, and has been successfully used in dairies. 

 It is available during November and the winter months, 

 and, given at the rate of two bushels of the bruised 

 material along with carrots, and a little hay, is one of the 

 best winter foods for cows in milk. (10.) Rape is useful 

 in early winter, less liable to affect the taste of the milk 

 than some other green foods, and a very succulent and 

 palatable food. Capable of being mown and brought in 

 daily from the field, it is available as a daily food during 

 September, October and November, and indeed formed a 

 portion of Mr. Horsfall's feeding of his well-managed 

 dairy herd. A crop of rape will yield from 10 to 12 tons 

 of green food per acre. (11.) Cabbages of various sorts, 

 open and hearted, early and late, are liked by cows, and 

 may be made to yield a succession of food from May all 

 through summer, and on till the end of the year. Land 

 yielding successive crops of cabbages may be made to yield 



