LINSEED VERSUS GOLD OF PLEASURE. 



327 



green state it will furnish abundant food for sheep, and may be folded 

 off for turnips, and if possible for seed. Turnips may on those follow, 

 and a good crop obtained. It will yield an abundant crop of seed, 

 affording splendid oil for lamps, and the finest machinery, having 

 excellent cake and the seed compounded with barley equal and I might 

 say superior to linseed." It is difficult to define the exact meaning of 

 the above sentences ; I must therefore content myself with observing, 

 that, however productive the seed, the British farmer will not be 

 induced to cultivate a crop for the sake of sending lamp-oil, rather 

 than fat bullocks, to market. And, as Mr. Gwilt produces no fat oxen 

 from the stall, or sheep from the fold, to prove that the Gold of Plea- 

 sure compounded with barley is superior to linseed ; so may I justly 

 claim the victory for the "incomparable cattle-compound." 



'Tis true, the Rev. gentleman may have " fed cows, sheep, and 

 poultry-stock upon the Gold of Pleasure with the greatest safety and 

 satisfaction" to himself; but to what extent, he has failed to commu- 

 nicate ; nor is his advocacy supported by the strongest of all argu- 

 ments — viz., by profit^ whereas mine has always been enforced by 

 this powerful ally. Hence the success of all my recommendations ; 

 for in no instance have I incurred the responsibility of promulgating 

 statements that had not previously been substantiated by often repeated 

 experiments. According to the account of Messrs. Gibbs, which ap- 

 peared in your Journal of the 15th of Jan., Mr. Gwilt cultivated 

 the plant in question eight years ago. It is strange that, during the 

 whole of that period, no stronger evidence should be adduced than that 

 of its having been given with " safety and satisfaction to cows, sheep, 

 and poultry." No encomiums are passed upon the increased quantity 

 of milk, the flavour of the butter, the improvement of the sheep, or of 

 the additional number of eggs laid by the poultry. Contrasted with 

 safety is danger ; I should apprehend the most dangerous consequences 

 to my cattle, were they compelled to eat the nauseous Gold of Pleasure, 

 as a substitute for the pure and wholesome linseed. Nauseous, because 

 whoever tastes only a few grains, I am confident, will never repeat the 

 dose for the sake of pleasure. It is well known that change of food 

 affects both milk and butter, and also the condition of the cow. To 

 prove therefore the accuracy of my "speculation," two cows should 

 be placed in separate stalls ; one fed upon the Gold of Pleasure ; the 

 other upon linseed, in equal proportions, prepared alike, and at the 

 rate of two or three pounds per day ; the milk from each cow being, 

 of course, kept by itself I venture to surmise, that, at the expiration 

 of two months, the evidence of the dairy-maid and of the yard-man 

 will be much in favour of linseed. Seldom more than one at a time 

 is kept upon my premises, which is generally purchased with her 

 calf. She is kept in a box, fed on linseed compound with the fat 



