Pastoral Husbandry. 
107 = 441 
ess grass ; they rest better, generally lying down for an hour or 
wo after receiving their cake in the morning : they fatten more 
[uicklv, and, when slaughtered, prove better, being thus more 
)rized by butchers. 
Beef is always higher in price in the summer and early 
utumn than it is later ; thus, beasts having cake whilst at 
:rass command a better market. On farms where this plan 
las been in operation for a number of years, a marvellous change 
las occurred in the productiveness of the pastures. 
According to the estimates of our leading agricultural chemists, 
)r. Voelcker and Mr. Lawes, the theoretical value of the manurial 
esidue of these cakes, after consumption by stock, amounts to 
learly 5/. per acre in linseed-cake, and still more in decorticated 
otton-cake. Although in practice these values are probably 
iable to considerable deduction, there is very evident proof of 
he high value of cake-manure. It produces grass, not only 
uxuriant but of good quality, much more relished by stock 
han grass forced by common dung. It is applied to the grass 
n summer, whilst vegetation is in full progress ; in showery 
»eather, it is at once assimilated by the plants, and there is 
ittle risk of its being washed off the surface or too deep into 
he subsoil before being taken up by the plants. 
Well-selected cows, with this extra keep, will pay from 7s. to Profit of 
Os. per week for their summer feeding, and in some cases much g'-'^mg- 
tiore than that. Old cows will sometimes fatten well ; but in 
ot sultry weather they are liable to gargel, which sometimes 
uite spoils them, and their beef is always worth less per lb. 
han that of younger cows. They are also larger consumers 
ffood. 
Grazing farmers who have winter provision, generally buy in 
November or December lean young barren cows or heifers, and 
eep them through the winter on hay or chopped straw with 
oots, and a little cake or meal, so as to have them half-fat by 
he time the grass is ready for them in April or May ; the cake 
5 given at grass, and the beasts are sold fat in June or early in 
uly, paying 10/. or 121. each for their six or seven months' 
eep. Beasts not becoming fat by October are tied up in stalls 
nd finished. There is an extra demand for fat beef of specially 
ne quality at Christmas, and many farmers keep their finest 
attle for this market. 
There is a very large import of store cattle from Ireland, Im]ioi t of 
rincipally heifers and bullocks two and three years old. We J'''^*^" 
ave no accurate statistics on the point ; but the value of this 
tore stock has been estimated at ten millions sterling. 
Owing to the large introduction of Shorthorn bulls into Ireland, 
he quality of Irish cattle has much improved. There are still. 
