SMALL HOLDINGS 75 



summer's food, supplemented as it would 

 be by lucerne, clover, and cabbage. It is a 

 common practice where pasture is abundant 

 to rest satisfied with grass, but if a tenant 

 is willing to be guided by experience, he will 

 supply his cows with 2 lb. to 4 lb. of decorti- 

 cated cotton cake per day. When grass is 

 scarce and lucerne and clover are sup- 

 plied, similar quantities of maize meal or 

 desiccated grains, which should be soaked 

 for 24 hours before using, may replace 

 the cake. 



It is the practice of the great majority of 

 those of our dairy farmers who grow corn 

 crops to use a portion of the oat straw as 

 food. It is chaffed with hay and mixed 

 with pulped roots, grains, and cake or 

 meal, but in the case we are describing 

 the straw would be insufficient for this 

 purpose, as it would be required as litter 

 for the cows and pigs ; indeed it would 

 be necessary to exercise the greatest care 

 to make it last. The weight of straw 

 grown depends very largely upon the 

 variety of grain, but it may be in- 

 creased by the judicious use of nitrate of 

 soda, Vv^hich encourages the growth of leaf 

 as in the case of cabbage and mangolds. 



