136 



MAKING THE CATTLE-COMPOUND. 



but a fourth less of water than would have been prepared for 

 dry barley. It will soon turn sour, but the cattle will not re- 

 fuse it on that account. Care must be taken lest the sprouts 

 are suffered to grow beyond the prescribed length, or the qua- 

 lity will be materially injured ; therefore it will be necessary 

 to destroy their growth by passing the barley through the 

 crusher. It may be then used at pleasure. 



The foregoing remarks equally apply to other grain and 

 pulse, in forming which into compounds the same rules must 

 be adhered to ; but peas and beans require more water than 

 either barley or oats. The proper proportions will easily be 

 ascertained by practice. An admixture of grain and pulse 

 with linseed will be found to act well together. 



Pigs in a yard fatten upon the excrement of bullocks fed with 

 oil-cake : but if the cake be reduced to a pulp, and incorpo- 

 rated with other materials, according to the receipts for making 

 compounds, the cattle would derive the intended benefit, instead 

 of the pigs. This remark is equally applicable to corn not 

 properly ground. I am thus minute in order to convey with 

 clearness my opinion of the necessity for reducing linseed^ grain, 

 and pulse to fine meal. 



Either potatoes, carrots, turnips, or mangold-wurzel boiled 

 and incorporated with linseed meal, form a compound upon 

 which cattle fatten with great rapidity. To make it, nothing 

 more is required than to fill the copper with washed potatoes, 

 or carrots, &c. sliced. Supposing the copper would contain 

 eight or nine pails of water, let only one be added. In a few 

 minutes the water will boil, and the steam will speedily cook 

 the roots ; then a convenient portion should be put into a stout- 

 bottomed trough, with a little linseed meal, and mashed with 

 the rammer, while a boy turns it over. The re- 

 mainder must be prepared in the same way. As 

 the mass increases in the tub it should be 

 pressed firmly down, in order that it may re- 

 tain the heat as long as possible. The length 

 and size of the rammer ought to be adapted to 

 the height and strength of the person employed. 

 It will be found convenient to have two or three 

 at hand, varying from eighteen inches to two feet long, taper- 



