480 



On Box-feeding with Linseed Compounds. 



and oily, and apt to disagree with the animal ; and if unground, 

 much of the seed would pass through the intestines without being 

 digested, and would consequently be useless towards fattening the 

 animal. "When ground and mixed with boiling water the linseed 

 meal forms a rich mucilage, in which state it is mingled with 

 other materials, forming a highly nutritious compound, of which 

 in a short time cattle become extremely fond^ and on which they 

 are speedily and economically fattened. 



The cattle-compound may be formed with any kind of farm pro- 

 duce, provided it contains a proper quantity of the linseed. If 

 barley, beans, or pease be used, they must be first ground into 

 meal ; if grass, clover, hay, straw, or pea and bean haulm be used, 

 they must be first cut into chaff ; if turnips, carrots, mangel-wurzel, 

 cabbages or potatoes are used, they must be first boiled or steamed ; 

 after which all or any of the above materials may be formed into 

 the compound, the only implements required for making it being 

 a couple of large tubs or half- hogsheads, three or four buckets, a 

 Avooden rammer, and a fork. 



The compounds are essentially of three kinds: — 1st. The 

 corn and pulse compound. 2nd. The root compound. 3rd. The 

 grass and chaff compound. These may all run into and mingle 

 with each other, according to circumstances, but they constitute 

 the three leading distinctions, under one or other of which all the 

 cattle compounds may be classed ; linseed being, however, in 

 each the chief ingredient for fattening. I will now describe these 

 compounds, and the mode of preparing each. 



1st. The Corn and Pulse Compound, — A mixture of three 

 parts of barley, oat, pea, or bean-meal, incorporated with one 

 part of linseed meal, forms a most nourishing compound. The 

 linseed-meal is to be first stirred into the requisite quantity of 

 boiling-water, in the proportion of a pound of meal for a gallon 

 of water, until it forms a mucilage. The barley, pea, or bean- 

 meal should then be added, stirring it rapidly ; and, as the mass 

 cools, it may be given to the cattle either singly or together with 

 other compounds, or with cut grass or turnips, according to the 

 season. Bran, or the chaff of corn or flax, may be stirred into this 

 compound if desired. These substances will add to its bulk and 

 somewhat increase its nourishing qualities ; and it may, therefore, 

 at times be desirable by way of change to add them to the mass, 

 but more water will then be required. This compound will keep 

 for a week, or even longer, if properly prepared and rammed 

 down close, so as to exclude the air and prevent its fermenting. 



2nd. The Root Compound.— -To form a compound with tur- 



