i4 The Purchase of Feeding Stuffs. 



India, Russia, and America. Russian seed is smaller in size 

 and darker in colour than the Indian seed. Genuine linseed 

 weighs not less than 52IDS. per bushel. 



The use of linseed — as distinguished from linseed cake — 

 amongst farmers is chiefly restricted to the feeding of calves. 

 It is found that linseed meal or crushed linseed added to skim 

 or separated milk is one of the safest and most economical sub- 

 stitutes for the abstracted milk-fat. Linseed approaches more 

 nearly in composition to the solids of milk than any other food^ 

 and the oil which it contains, to the extent of 34 to 38 per cent , 

 is easily digestible. There is, however, a risk in buying any 

 grain or seed in the form of a meal, as it is difficult to detect 

 impurities when the material is sold in this condition. 

 Farmers purchasing any considerable quantity of linseed 

 meal will be well advised to have samples analysed occasion - 

 ally. One ot the commonest adulterants of linseed meal is 

 ground linseed cake. The latter does not contain more than 

 one-sixth to one-third of oil of the other, and the amount of 

 fibre in it renders it unsuitable for giving to young calves 

 as a substitute for milk fat. Again, the meal of almost 

 any cereal grain can be mixed with linseed meal in fairly 

 Targe proportions before the substitution is likely to be 

 detected with the naked eye. The object of such admixture 

 is at once apparent, for linseed cake and cereal meals cost, 

 roughly, about £0 to £12 per ton, whereas the price of 

 genuine linseed is frequently about ^20 per ton. The risk 

 would be obviated by purchasing whole linseed and having 

 it ground at home, but the objection to this is the difficulty 

 of grinding owing to the linseed clogging the grist mill. 



Circumstances may arise in which it becomes desirable to 

 use home-grown grain instead of purchasing linseed cake for 

 the fattening of cattle or sheep. The following substances 

 may be mixed in the proportions indicated and ground in an 

 ordinary steel grist-mill. 



8 bushels oats. 



4 „ barley (or maize) 



2 „ peas. 



1 „ linseed. 

 If this mixture be given to stock with an equal weight of 



