Straw as Food for Stock. 
131 
farms, where the proportion of ploughing land to that of grass is large, the 
number of cattle kept is proportionately small, and the use of straw is of 
but little occount. Upon this class of farms, which are mostly of turnip and 
sheep land, the manure is worth but little ; and where the distance of cartage 
is rather considerable, the purchase of artificial manure is more desirable for 
the turnip crop than the foldyard-manure is at the cost of carting, taking 
into account the loss of time in a busy season, &c. But in cases where the 
farm comprises a large proportion of grass, and many cattle are kept, the 
manure arising from the limited quantity of straw is as good and as valuable 
as manure in any form for any purpose. 
" Unthreshed oats are used extensively, chopped or chaffed for horses, and 
sometimes for sheep, upon turnips in winter. The quality is much improved 
if the oats are reaped before they are fully ripe. If cut in this state, and 
secured favourably, the horses will mostly work well, with little or no 
additional food. Without chopping, straw is not used for horses or sheep, 
and is not steamed, fermented, or cooked ; but it is mostly given to cattle as 
it comes from the machine, in the foldyard. It would be much improved, 
and would keep double the number of cattle, if the foldyards were covered, 
the straw chopped, and a small quantity of pulped roots added to it. If this 
were done, a far larger number of store cattle and young horses might be 
sustained through the winter than upon a very limited quantity of uncut 
straw. In proportion to the economising of straw, and appropriation of 
it as food for cattle, the breadth of hay can be reduced; it consequently 
becomes an important question as to the best method of so adapting straw 
for food in the most palatable form and for general use ; and I know of no other 
way, than as already stated, to meet our wants. Large and expensive steam 
apparatus is not so adapted, neither have I yet met with a ' steamed-chaff ' 
system which gave satisfaction. Of course this matter directly affects the 
winter season, but it has an important bearing upon every season of [the 
year, especially now, when the strong, heavy ploughing land is, or ought to 
be, sown down with permanent grass — a question which is calling forth the 
serious attention of all who have such land under the plough." 
Mr. John Roynon, the Steward of Mr. D. Mcintosh, of 
Havering Park, Essex, not only gives a description of the state 
of things in the Romford district, but enters very fully into the 
straw question, one of the happiest solutions of which is to be 
met with in the spacious covered yards and conveniences of all 
kinds for grinding, chaffing, pulping, and preparing mixed foods 
to be found included in Mr. Mcintosh's improved homesteads. 
He says : — 
" A comparatively small quantity of straw is used, as a rule, either for 
food or litter in our district. It being near London, the straw is mostly sold 
for the Metropolitan market ; and in this locality live stock are not largely 
kept for feeding purposes, especially for stall-feeding. But we use straw largely ; 
in fact, I could have sold the straw we used for food and litter on the 
Havering Park farms last autumn and winter for 30Z. per week. We give 
it as food to cattle, horses, and sheep. To cattle we give four-fifths straw to 
one-fifth hay ; to horses about one-half straw to one-half hay ; and to sheep 
about one-half or three-fourths straw to one-half or one-fourth hay. We use 
straw invariably cut into chaff, and the latter entirely uncooked. Cutting 
it into chaff is decidedly the most economical way of using straw for either 
kind of stock ; but where steaming is adopted, if there is any practical good 
in it, it might be preferable to steam for young animals, to assist digestion ; 
K 2 
