The Proper Office of Straic on a Farm. 
Hall, astonishes wondering citizens by condescending to eat a 
portion of his bed. 
Nor is this .in abnormal condition of things. Any one who 
will visit those beautiful southern counties, celebrated by Cobbett 
in his " Rural Rides," where picturesque little homesteads are 
(lotted about the country, and the sound of the flail may yet be 
heard, will find the fatting cattle standing by turns at the l)arn 
door, disposing of each choice handful as it is put forth, and 
when duly satisfied retiring to the shed to chew the cud, showing 
every sign of content and enjoyment.* 
The yards of the smaller farmers, as yet untouched by modern 
innovation, often display an interesting picture of neatness and 
economical contrivance. That look of comfort pervades them, 
which is of the first consequence to the well-being of stock, and 
without which "Tables of Nutrition" will be studied in vain. 
The analyses appended to this paper show that straw of 
various kinds contains rather more of the muscle and flesh pro- 
ducing substances, and considerably more of those which furnisli 
heat and fat, than turnips. A ton of straw contains more food 
than a ton of roots. But if cattle are fed on the latter alone 
they will thrive,t and on the former store stock will barely, under 
any circumstances, retain their condition. This proves nothing 
as to comparative value, but it proves that the elements of 
nutrition must not only exist, but they must exist in an available 
form. 
An ox fed on oil-cake alone Avould shortly die, because the 
elements of nutrition would not be presented to him in an avail- 
able form. But it does not follow that oil-cake presented in 
some other form could not be digested. The same applies to 
straw ; and, indeed, we should be led to conclude, from the fact 
of an ox requiring so much bulk in his food, that straw might 
be employed to supply that need. 
Straw is a cheap article with which to distend the stomach, 
and we ought to use it in just such proportions as we find, by 
experience, it can be profitably used, as a substitute for other 
and more expensive food. There are two main elements in our 
* This picture belongs to the poetry of agriculture. No doubt the best- 
fed beast delights in an occasional lock of straw, which doubtless is of great 
service, directly to digestion, and indirectly to nutrition ; but he likes it as the 
citizen does his plain-boiled potato with his steak, or the northern tourist his thin 
oatmeal cake, or single saucerfull of porridge u'ith cream. But our avithor shows 
plainly, further on, that he does not overrate straw as the mainstay of a dietar}-, 
nor does he seem to consider the natural form of straw to be the most available 
form for the (/cneraZ purposes of nutrition. The hint on "comfort" which follows 
is a word in season. — P. H. P. 
t Surely not alone ? When was this ever put to the proof? Farmers, talking 
in a loose way, may have boasted of fatting beasts on turnips alone, but this was 
most probably effected in well-littered yards ; so that they spoke taking no account 
of the straw consumed in addition, the value of which, as an auxiliary, is suffi- 
cieutly indicated in the previous page. — P. H. F. 
