Some of the Agricultural Lessons of 1868. 
61 
bran and a little meal. TIic \yi%s are getting steamed potatoes with the mixed 
meal ; and the poultry arc daily fed on the same mixture." 
Mr. Charles Howard, of Biddenham, is another witness to the 
exceptional value of the straw this year : — 
" It must be remembered that the straw this season is quite as good, or 
better, than meadow hay is some years. The cattle consume the straw, cbaff, 
and cavings most readily. I am usins very little hay. The straw-chaff is 
cut short, damped and mixed with bran, palm nut meal, a little of friend 
Thorley's cake being added as required. Upon this I am glad to say my 
herd is looking well. The season, too, is helping us very much; it is all that 
can be desired. I know some who have scarcely any animals in the yards as 
yet, they are still [December] on the grasses." 
The following is from Mr. Savidge, of Sarsden, on the same 
subject : — 
" Perhaps in no season did the cattle consume the straw more greedily, 
particularly the straw of wheat. I am using one bushel of grated mangold 
mixed with finely cut chaff to every four beasts per day, with a liberal supply 
of rape and cotton cake; the animals have also a little whole straw to browse 
over before it is used for bedding. If you can afford hay, it is no matter how 
you prepare it ; but if straw only is used, by all means cut it as fine as 
possible : it would pay to have it sifted. I must conclude by stating I use 
and prefer good linseed cake for all young stock." 
After Mr. Savidge, the testimony of Mr. Dods, of Anick 
Grange, near Hexham, may be quoted, for he, on the other hand, 
speaks highly of Rubsen* cake. The turnip crop has not been 
the utter failure in the north that it has proA^ed farther south ; and 
Mr. Dods, therefore, can give what we should consider a liberal 
allowance of roots to his cattle : — 
" For ray feeding cattle I hope to liave five stones of turnips per head per 
diem, which with straw ad libitum, and 6 lbs. of Rubsen cake, and when 
finishing a few lbs. of linseed cake should fatten them. The 'Eubsen'has 
been benefited by the hot summer, and is of so good a quality (where pure) 
that the cattle are eating it greedily. I don't believe in cooking ; I tried 
it for several years, but have long ago given it up, and now give all food raw, 
and am satisfied the cattle do better at less cost. My cows, however, receiving- 
straw ad libitum, get 3 lbs. of Rubsen in the morning, go out on fine days 
for a few hours, and in the evening have a warm mash of chaff and 3 lbs. 
of meal from light corn and Rubsen cake, with boiling water poured over it. 
For cows milking, I believe the warm mashes a benefit. My store cattle have 
straw and 3 lbs. of Rubsen cake, on which they do well ; indeed, even when 
I have abundance of turnip I never give my store cattle any, as they do much 
better on the Rubsen cake alone. My feeding hoggets are at present folded on 
turnips, in the usual way, with i lb. of linseed cake each. Next week I 
shall put them on cut turnips, limiting their supply, and continuing the cake, 
to them, with a rack full of cut straw in the field. They will get as many 
turnips as they can eat in the forenoon, and their cake at afternoon. My 
ewe hoggets will have the same turnips and a little (J lb.) of Rubsen cake. 
My breeding ewes will go on the old grass fields, and have J lb. cotton 
* Kubsen is the German name for rape or coleseed. 
