Farming of Cumberland. 



257 



judgment in purchasing and his care in feeding, chiefly with the 

 produce of his farm, enable him in ordinary times to square his 

 accounts satisfactorily on that head. Swede turnips form the 

 groundwork of his system, and these are given as liberally as the 

 constitution of the animal is able to bear. Where hay is grown, 

 that is given to the cattle to ruminate on ; and where no hay is 

 grown, or none can be spared, straw is resorted to. Corn-sheaves 

 cut into chaff, with clover or other hay, boiled or steamed, are 

 given largely on some farms ; and oatmeal or crushed corn is 

 often added as the cattle advance towards market fatness. Some 

 purchase oil-cake, bean-meal, &c., but those articles are not in 

 common use. In the present season (1851-2) the low price of 

 wheat has induced several to give the flour of that grain to their 

 fattening cattle, instead of other forcing food ; and the cattle do 

 well on it. Salt is commonly given, and many find their advan- 

 tage in having the cattle regularly curried or brushed in the same 

 way as horses are dressed. 



The dairy cattle are fed in a similar way, with turnips and 

 cooked food, hay and straw ; with bran, grains, linseed, or some- 

 times meal in addition. 



Young cattle are generally kept on straw or hay and turnips in 

 winter, without anything else, except what scanty herbage they 

 may pick up in the fields, where they are commonly put for a few 

 hours every day. On the small farms among and near the moun- 

 tains it is thought an extravagance to purchase any kind of cattle 

 food, except rarely a little hay towards spring. On these farms 

 there is usually more pasturage, and the whole herd of cattle are 

 turned out during the day, by way of saving fodder ; but it too 

 often happens they are kept starving at che gate for an hour or two 

 every afternoon, till the regular time of tying up arrives. Such 

 people think they cheat the cattle out of a meal, and expect to 

 profit by it, while in reality they cheat themselves by starving their 

 cattle and ivasting majiure, not giving it a thought that the sheds 

 and cowhouses are much more comfortable standing, without 

 food, than the miry gateway, and that the manure would be 

 saved too. 



Thirty or forty years ago it was the practice to tie up only the 

 cows and oldest set of heifers, the rest of the young ones being 

 wintered in open sheds, or some in the fields. Now it is found 

 that they can be most equally dealt with when all are tied ; con- 

 sequently there are few farms now where any but the calves are 

 suffered to battle each other in loose sheds, where one or two 

 master-cattle beat the rest back, and become the cause of great 

 inequality in the condition of the lot. 



Box-feeding is in partial use on a few farms, and is approved 

 in everything but the expense of buildings. 



