118 



Experiments in Fattening Cattle. 



2nd. Nos. 4 and 5 were experiments made to test the different 

 feeding qualities of swedes grown on land of good and inferior 

 quality. Precisely the same weight of food was daily supplied to 

 each animal. The feeding quality of the swedes from inferior 

 land shows a superiority to that from good land, the former giving 

 a return of 4j<i. per cwt. against o^d. from the latter. This re- 

 ceives some explanation from the fact that the crop on inferior 

 land was a solid small crop of 20 tons an acre, while that on good 

 land was a comparatively heavy, but more spongy crop of 30 tons 

 an acre. While the superior feeding quality of the less bulky but 

 more solid crop, weight for weight, is thus proved, the result is 

 different where the economical value to the farmer of each crop 

 is considered. The respective crops yield — 



£. s. d. 



Inferior land, 20 tons per acre, at 4:^7. per cwt. . .718 

 Good land, 30 „ 3^cl „ . .976 



In favour of good land . . . 2 5 10 

 which is very much more than the difference of rent. 



3rd. Nos. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are experiments to determine the ad- 

 vantage of, and how far prepared food may be economically sub- 

 stituted for, swedes in the fattening of cattle. Where one cooked 

 feed per day is given with two feeds of raw swedes, as supplied 

 to Lot 6, the result is the most profitable of all. The farther 

 substitution for another feed of raw swedes, of a second portion 

 of cooked food, extinguishes the profit, by the increased expense of 

 the dearer food. In a tabular form the result of these experiments 

 shows that an acre of swedes (30 tons), when consumed by fatten- 

 ing cattle in stalls, gives a return to the farmer, after deducting the 

 cost of artificial food, in the following order, viz. — 



No. £. s. 



6. One cooked feed of corn, and two of raw swedes, per day 12 10 



8. Ditto linseed compound and ditto ,, 11 5 



9. No corn, three feeds of raw swedes ... 11 5 



7. Two cooked feeds of corn and one of raw swedes ,, 5 0 



£ s. d. 



Mangold 13 2 6 per acre. 



Swedes 6 5 0,, 



The money-return from the mangold therefore appears to be 

 more than double that from the swede. There is also the great 

 advantage of the land being clear for the timely sowing of barley, 

 by feeding stock on mangold, which, of course, has been stored, 

 instead of keeping the sheep on swedes run to seed in April, 

 while the seedtime for barley is passing or gone. This experi- 

 ment strongly confirms those of the late Lord Spencer, which 

 appeared some years since in this Journal. The laxative tendency 

 of mangold is easily, as in this case, counteracted by the accom- 

 paniment of bean-meal. — Pn. Pusev. 



