On Fattening Cattle. 
77 
pensation, to that by the man who endeavours to fatten his animals 
on turnips and barley-straw), that it would take up far too much 
of the Society's valuable Journal even to enumerate them ; I shall 
therefore simply give the plan I recommend, leaving my readers to 
follow it if they like, and improve upon it whenever they can. 
I think, in many instances, stall-feeding is not commenced early 
enough in the autumn: as soon as the weatVier becomes damp, 
and the days shorten much — say some time in October — the grass 
in my neighbourhood loses its feeding properties, and then the 
sooner your bullocks are put up the better; for this purpose I re- 
commend having some of the large, forward descriptions of turnips 
provided, perhaps the " red tankard," although watery, and soon 
becoming of little value, are at this very early season the best of 
any, from their early maturity ; these are sown in April, at the rate 
of an acre to every eight bullocks, which will last them three or 
four weeks, according to the crop, and leave a light fold to begin 
the sheep upon ; at the end of which time the forward swedes are 
ready to begin. During this period I give them little or no oil- 
cake, if they are only in moderate condition ; but they have half a 
stone of pollard a-day, mixed with an equal quantity of hay or 
straw-chaflF. Some persons may fancy this food is of too loosening 
a nature, but I can assure them, from several years' experience, 
that altliough pollard is loosening itself, yet it has the effect of 
preventing the watery white turnips from purging too much. 
Although the bullocks do not tjain nuich in weight during this 
time, yet I am satisfied they go on faster afterwards ; the reason 
of which, I suspect, is that their bodies are more prepared for the 
artificial state they have to live in for the next few months. Early 
in November the food must be changed to swedes, cake, &c. ; the 
quantities of each must vary according to circumstances: the fol- 
lowing I consider a good allowance where swedes are not scarce ; 
if they are, more oil-cake must be given instead of a part of them ; 
or, if very plentiful, they may be allowed even more. The morn- 
ing's bait, 1 bushel of swedes, well cleaned from dirt, and cut small, 
given a few at a time (I always use Gardner's sheep turnip-cutter 
in preference to any other) ; then, the refuse pieces being well 
cleaned out, a dry bait, consisting of 2 lbs. of oil-cake, 3 lbs. of 
pollard, and a little hay-chaff. While they are feeding, the ma- 
nure and wet litter must be well cleared away, and any which 
may be on the bullocks taken off, the floor swept clean, and plenty 
of fresh litter put in ; then have every bullock well brushed with 
what is called a dandy-brush (being a brush made with whale- 
bone, for taking the rough dirt off horses). Let not any slovenly 
farmer fancy this to be a whim of mine ; depend upon it the bul- 
locks are kept in much better health and greater comfort for it. 
They must now be left quiet ; they will soon lie down and rest. 
