432 
The Winter of 1885-86. 
past winter would have been impossible. When the grains are stored in the 
summer, a large quantity of salt is mixed with them. Besides the supply- 
being obtained cheaper in the summer than in the winter, Mr. Beauchamp, 
after several years' experience, is firmly convinced that the storing of the 
grains greatly improves them, making them more digestible, besides adding 
to their flavour and i^alatableness for stock. The grains are put into these 
vats with one cwt. of salt to each 100 bushels. They are trodden down in 
order to get as many as possible in. 
"Besides the hay and grains, an opportunity presented itself of buying 
20 tons of very good barley straw at 21. per ton, which was embraced. 
Then there were 6 acres of wheat, the produce of which was not a fine sample, 
but the crop was a heavy one. This had been offered in the market ; but, 
as the highest offer for it was 14s. a sack, Mr. Beauchamp refused to sell, and 
it was kept on the farm for consumption by stock. In this case the straw 
was used for thatching purposes, and not for feeding. There was also the 
produce of 5 acres of oats; but these were not used, as the owner does not 
believe that they should be given to horses or cattle without being crushed. 
If they are, they are simply wasted, as many go through the animal and are 
voided whole. 
" These were the resources of the farm ; and with them the whole of the 
stock on the farm, the numbers of which I have given, were successfully 
wintered. The wheat was made part of the food ration ; it was crushed or pul- 
verised very fine by means of a bean and oat crusher ; it was a cheap food, 
having been offered in the market at 15s. a sack (30s. a qr.), and at this 
price would be worth 6/. a ton. Pollards cost 5Z. 10s. per ton, and bran 5?. 
The crushed wheat was not only a richer food ; but, when the cost of railway 
carriage, cartage and sack hire were added to the first cost, quite as cheap as 
either bran or pollards, and very little more trouble. This wheat meal was 
mixed with grains and hay and straw chaff, and given to the cattle twice a 
day. For the dairy stock, the supplj' for each cow for each feeding consisted 
of 1 lb. of wheat meal, half a shovel of grains, and hay (two-thirds) and straw- 
chaff (one-third) sufiicient to fill a three-peck basket. The steers had very 
little of the wheat, but were given chaff and grains. The sheep (not a 
breeding flock) had only what they could pick up on the pastures, with the 
addition of chaff. It is to the dairy cattle, however, that I would more 
especially direct attention. These are fed with a three-peck basketful of the 
mixture per cow twice a day ; once at G A.M. and again between 5 and 6 
o'clock in the evening. Two hours after the morning's (and also after the 
evening's) feeding the lads go round the cribs, and if there is any food left it 
is taken away, and the cribs cleaned. This is regarded as a very essential 
feature of the leading system on this farm — i.e. that the stock should never 
have a surplus of food left about to breathe upon, or for the saliva to fall 
out upon. For a certain part of the daj' and night the crib is thus left abso- 
lutely empty. It is found by this system that the cattle eat more than they 
would if they were allowed an unlimited supply to ' mess with, and spoil, 
and so waste,' as it was effectively put. The system also gives a good 
indication twice a day as to the health of the stock, as it is at once seen if any 
of the animals are unwell, and so off their feed. Immediately after they have 
got into regular habits, it is known how much each eats, and wheri the 
supply is regulated accordingly, it is generallj^ found that the cribs arc licked 
out clean. It should be added that a small lump of rock salt is kept all the 
time in every crib. 
" In this system of feeding the great value of all food being properly prepared, 
and of the economy which results therefrom, is insisted on. In Mr. Beau- 
champ's opinion, all hay or straw ought to be chaffed before being given to 
the animals. He has tested the matter over and over again, a week at a 
