134 
Straiv as Food for Stock. 
cut straw, but imagine that, owing to the expense of preparation, there is no 
economy to be gained. 
" My experience of the use of straw as a food, and where I attach to it 
the greatest value, is in special and emergent cases. In 1868 I began 
farming near Mansfield, upon a sheep-farm. My turnip-crop that year was 
almost a total failure as regards the main crop; we did raise a crop of 
late common turnips, but could not spare any for the cattle in the yards. 
Nearly the whole of the barley I grew was fit only for feed-purposes. I had 
taken (fixed in the buildings) a steam-power 6-horse threshing-machine, 
including grinding fixture and chaff-cutter; under these combined circum- 
stances I thought it best to consume the inferior barley on the place instead 
of buying other food. The barley we ground, and the straw we cut into 
chaff as we wanted it, but did not give it to the cattle in a dry state. I had 
a copper fixed, and a large stone trough placed by the side of it. My plan 
was to boil linseed, 1 lb. per head per day, for two-j'ear-old heifers. "When it 
was mixed, a layer of chaff was first placed in the trough, and scalding liquid 
thrown over it, then turned over. On this was placed a quantity of meal, 
and so on. I gave 3 lbs. of barley-meal per head. I can only say the plan 
answered all my expectations, and my cattle never did so well as when 
treated in this way." 
Mr. G. T. Wright, Stokes Farm, Wokingham, does approve of 
Mr. Jonas's method of improving straw fodder, as the result 
of practical experience. He says : — 
" I have tried it several times, and find it very useful. It seems to me, the 
great secret in preparing it is to have it thoroughly well trodden down into 
its store place, then it comes out with a smell like new hay, and is much 
relished by stock. I am not aware of its having been tried on other farms 
near here. During the last few years much more care has been taken to 
utilise all the produce of the farm. Some seventeen or eighteen years ago, 
when on a farm near Bristol, 1 saw great heaps of chaff and cavings as it 
came from the threshing-machine, left to rot or carted on to the grass 
grounds, whilst the cart-horses were often short of food. Now, this is all 
carefully stored and is very useful food in winter. 
" I grew this season thirty-four acres of wheat, twenty-three acres of oats, 
and sixteen of barley. I expect to use the whole of the oat- and barley- 
straw, and quite one-third of the wheat for fodder. I think not very many in 
this district use so large a proportion. But its feeding value is becoming 
more known. I have used it for horses and cattle, but not for sheep. My 
cattle get their chaff mixed with pulped roots, grains, or meal. Horses have 
it damped and mixed with crushed oats and maize." 
Mr. F. M. Jonas, of Crishall Grange, Saffron Walden, has 
favoured me with a communication of great value on more than 
one point connected with this inquiry. Not only does he 
describe some improvements in the system of cutting and 
storing straw-chaff associated with his father's name, but he 
gives facts from his own practical experience, proving that 
straw- chaff may be economically employed in other ways, so as 
fc) increase the number of animals per acre. I append, however, 
his own interesting remarks. He says : — 
" On many light-land farms, where the tenant is not allowed to sell any 
straw, one-sixth part of the straw is used for food, the rest for litter; but on 
