On Box-f ceding with Linseed Compounds. 481 



nips, carrots, mangel-wurzel, cabbage, or potatoes, the process is 

 equally simple with the above. Clean the roots from dirt, and 

 cut or slice the larger ones into moderately sized pieces; then 

 put them into the boiler with one or two pails of water, according 

 to its size and the quantity of materials. Cover the boiler close ; 

 and as the steam rises it will soon cook the roots, which are then 

 to be removed, portions at a time, into a tub or trough placed at 

 hand for the purpose, and there mashed with the rammer, a boy 

 scattering the requisite quantity of linseed-meal over the smoking 

 roots as they are mashed and turned, which thoroughly incor- 

 porates it with the mass. Proceed thus until the whole is pre- 

 pared, and it should then be rammed down firmly in the tub, and 

 smoothed over at top with a shovel or trowel, in order that it may 

 retain its heat, and thus thoroughly incorporate the linseed-meal 

 with the other ingredients. The tub or trough should have a stout 

 bottom, to stand the action of the rammer. 



3rd. Grass and Chaff Compound, — This is formed of clover, 

 rye, or any other kind of grass ; or of hay, straw, pea, or bean- 

 haulm ; or the chaff of corn and linseed, or all or any of them 

 combined. Each of these materials possess more or less fattening 

 qualities in themselves ; but they act at the same time, and 

 principally, as a useful medium for conveying the linseed-meal, 

 the most fattening of all substances, into the stomach of the 

 animal, and the effect of the compound thus becomes extremely 

 beneficial.* 



* It is to be regretted that Mr. Nicholls does not give Mr. Warnes's ex- 

 perience as to the comparative advantage of using one or other of the 

 above-mentioned compounds. Some very accurate experiments, made at 

 the suggestion of the Highland Agricultural Society, and pubhshed in the 

 'Quarterly Journal of Agriculture,' make it appear that the expense of 

 cooking turnips, or other roots, is not repaid by any corresponding im- 

 provement in the cattle fed with them, and my own experience quite 

 agrees with these results. I should therefore venture to recommend to my 

 brother l^eeders as a general rule, that turnips and other roots be given raw, 

 and that the compound used for winter feeding, be chiefly made with cut 

 straw or chaff (described above as Compound 3rd). The cheapest, and I 

 think the best way of making this compound, is to mix it on a smooth 

 brick floor immediately adjoinins: the pan or boiler in w^hich the linseed 

 mucilage is prepared. Upon this floor throw down the cut straw or chaff : 

 mix wuth it whilst dry, the meal intended to be given : upon this heap, 

 flattened at top, pour the mucilage by bucketsful : nothing more re- 

 mains to be done, but to turn the heap over with a shovel. The partial 

 cooking of the mixture by its own heat (mentioned above) is perfectly 

 well eliected in a heap such as I have described, if smoothed over with a 

 shovel and left for half an hour before being served out to the cattle. The 

 advantages of this mode of mixing are, that it is more quickly done : that 

 there is scarcely any limit to the quantity of food that can be prepared 

 without any additional utensils ; and that a few minutes suffice to wash 



