560 Traxsactions of the Ameutcan iKSritUTE. 



food, and that they will perform it more thoroughl j and keep in better 

 order than by any other system of feeding." Beyond question, the 

 food is better " when mixed with saliva as nature designed," than 

 when introduced to the stomach in any other way. I am familiar 

 w^ith all the different kinds of feed cutters used in the United States, 

 and know very nearly the number of each kind sold, and know that 

 nine-tenths of those sold in late years cut the feed from one and a 

 half to two inches long. And this is not because those cutting so 

 long are cheaper, as might be supposed, for there are those in market 

 at low prices that cut very fine, but of course slower. Feed sq cut 

 (from one and a half to two inches) is effectually prevented from being 

 swallowed without proper mastication. True it is eaten in less time 

 than long feed, for the reason that the animal does not have to pull 

 or bite it apart in order to introduce it to the mouth. Cornstalks, I 

 know from experience, chopped up in this way will all be eaten with 

 avidity, while, without being cut, much of it is wasted, 



Kow, as to the general advantage of cutting feed, nothing better 

 can be said than the experience of the American farmer. It is not 

 an old fogy notion of recent importation from England. Thousands 

 of feed-cutters (I speak from positive knowledge) were sold yearly in 

 the country twenty years ago, and ten times as many are sold now. 



I know that the great difficulty with manufacturers is not to convert 

 people to the value of cut feed, but to supply the machines for this 

 purpose as fast as wanted, the call always being the largest where 

 they have most experience in the use of cut feed. It may not 

 always be profitable to cut first-class hay for young stock. One great 

 advantage of the feed-cutter is to cut up and convert into palatable 

 food, straw, corn stalks and other coarse fodder that w^mld otherwise 

 be wasted, to say nothing of the increase in quantity and improvement 

 Ml quality of the manure heap. 



Nearly all the railroads and large stable-keepers of Kew York 

 city scarcely ever feed anything but cut hay mixed with meal. 



They may not all be good chemists, or fully understand the process 

 of digestion, but I doubt not exi^erience has taught them their 

 own interest better than to feed long, dry feed, or to cut it so short 

 as to be " bolted down without proper mastication." 



Mr. Greeley, has used feed-cutters for years, and it is fair to 

 presume he finds a profit in it. No doubt many who have not had 

 experience are prevented from cutting feed because they suppose that 

 it must be cut very fine, and lience requires great labor, especially 



