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XIX. — Note on Cattle- Feedintj during the Winter of 1870-71. 
By W. J. Edmonds, Southrop, Lechlade. 
[In a Letter to the Editor.] 
My dear Sir, — I think it may not be uninteresting to the readers 
of the 'Journal' to have a short account of some expedients 
resorted to during the winter of 1870-71, in order to enable 
farmers to keep their usual quantity of stock in a healthy con- 
dition, and also to fatten cattle without the use of hay. The 
spring and summer of 1870 were, in this part of the country, 
unusually dry, — so dry that in the autumn we found ourselves 
with good wheat but with a very short quantity of straw. Barley, 
oats, and indeed all Lent corn, as well as winter beans, were 
lamentably deficient as crops both in corn and straw ; seed-hay 
far from abundant ; meadow-hay next to none. Many pieces 
intended for mowing in the spring were afterwards fed, first, 
because there was not sufficient grass in them to be \vorth 
cutting, and next because the keep in the stocked grounds be- 
came so short that those intended for mowing were wanted for 
the stock. The appearance of the stackyards in September may 
be imagined ; and Nature, which is usually so lavish in com- 
pensation, did not even then come to our aid so far as the grass- 
land was concerned ; for, instead of being able to keep the 
cattle in the pastures until Christmas or nearly so, they con- 
tinued so bare that in October they were nearly all obliged to 
be foddered, and many even as early as September. But, if 
compensation was not given in the grass-land, the same cannot 
be said of the straw, for the quality of oat and barley straw was 
almost equal to ordinary hay, whilst that of the wheat-straw 
was far above the average ; and I am the more inclined to name 
this, lest those who are inexperienced should, another year, 
adopt the plans successfully pursued this year and find them- 
selves disappointed with the results obtained. It soon became 
evident, not only that the hay must be most sparingly used, but 
also that the oat and barley straw would be by no means suffi- 
cient for fodder through the winter. These also must be largely 
supplemented by the use of wheat-straw, and the question arose 
as to how to make the latter most palatable and most digestible. 
By some, treacle was given, and with good results: 1 lb. or 
1\ lb. per day, besides meal, being allowed to each beast. By 
others, linseed was used (I was one of those who did so), boiled 
or steamed, and thrown over the chaff" ; and as, possibly, it may 
be more useful to speak of individual experience rather than of 
generalities, I will state, as nearly as may be, the plan I pursued 
and its result on the cattle. But I wish it to be understood that 
