Practical Experiences in the Preparation of Food for Stoch. 457 
[Por Schedule of Questions, seeiyage 448.] 
Lord Arthur Cecil, of Orchardmains, Innerleithen^ N.B. 
3. We feed oui" farm horses on straw (oat) almost entirely, though to 
mares getting heavy in foal, ahout March or April, we give a little hay. 
4. We are breeding horses largely, and where the colts and brood mares 
can run in and out we find moss litter, at about 30«. per ton, better than 
straw. We do not like it, however, where horses have to stand constantly 
on it, as it draws the soles of their feet. 
5. No ; though we use it chafied in our steamers, 6. Both. 
7. By chaffing and mixing the chaff with oats we save nearly two bushels 
of corn to each pair of horses in the week, and keep our work-horses much 
better in health and condition. AVe have never, amongst upwards of CO 
horses, had a case of gripes since we used the mixture (five years). 
8. We boil and steam turnips, bran, cut hay, beans, and barley, and each 
horse, when at work, gets half an ordinary stable pailful every night, at 
6 P.M. Young horses and brood mares get it twice a day, or once, according 
to the kind of land or pasture they may be going on to substitute grass. 
9. We vary the proportions of boiling considerably, according to our 
observations on the dung of the horses, adding or withholding bran chiefly, 
which is done by the one man responsible for the health of all the horses, as 
he serves it out of the cooking pans. The times of feeding vary according 
to the time of year. 
10. We give our breeding sheep nothing but hay on the hill. The low- 
land portion of our flock are on turnips for three hours daily from November 
till April, if the turnips last as long ; we do not fatten any. Cows thrive 
weU on something the same kind of boiling as the horses. 
14. Yes. 
15. Barley, beans, cut hay, and turnips, and mixed with bran as it comes 
out of the steamer. The proportions for horses require great skQl and know- 
ledge, and should depend greatly — first, on the kind of horse ; secondly, on 
the other feeding ; and thirdly, on the time of year. 
16. We use a series of steamers made by Messrs. Barford and Perkins, 
and which are attached to a small engine, which pulps the turnips, cuts the 
hay, crushes corn, »S:c., while the steamei-s are working. This we find quite 
invaluable ; but for a small scale a common boiler with a steamer on the top 
does very well. 
17. It is the only way to bring out draught horses, healthily and cheaply, 
in the winter time. The boiling supplies the place of grass. 
18. Draught horses and cows. 
19. It is always done in the west of Scotland. 
Mr. John Watts, Falfeld, Gloucestershire. 
3. Yes. 4. Peat moss litter ; less than half. 5. Yes. 
G. Unchaft'ed chiefly ; early in the morning and last thing at night, chop 
being given throughout the day. 
7. The economy in chaffed fodder is in some seasons very great, inasmuch 
as very inferior stuff might be steamed and mixed with pulped roots or other 
succulent food, sprinkled over with a little fenugreek, thus making a palat- 
able mixture for store cattle ; whereas, if given unchaffed, it would be 
attended with great waste. 
9. Chaft" ad lib. ; about 100 lbs. of swedes for fatting cattle, with meal 
and cake ; 20 lbs. to 40 lbs. ditto for stores, according to age, with a little 
meal or cake, 
