474 Practical Experiences in the Preparation of Food for StocJc. 
These two opinions are, in reality, the only pronounced ones 
against the economy and usefulness of chaffing, for that given 
by Mr. H. J. Sheldon is more conditional than pronounced. 
On the whole, therefore, the opinions are in favour of the 
system, and may well be summed up in the carefully expressed 
answer by Mr. Henry Woods, of Merton (page 467). "The 
chaffing system," he says, " prevents the food, being consumed 
tQO hastily, avoids waste of food, and promotes digestion. It 
prepares the diet also in a more concentrated form, and helps the 
use of less palatable food by the process of fermentation, which, 
with the additional aid of spices or condiments, will convert poor 
or sour edibles into wholesome nutriment.-" The opinions, also, 
of Jklr. C. S. Read (page 461) and Mr. Gilbert Murray (page 470) 
may also be referred to as putting very well the claims for chaffing 
foods. 
Mixed Foods. — The replies are entirely favourable to this 
practice, but it is impossible to evolve any very general rules as 
to what the mixture should be. In this matter the feeder must 
be ruled by what he has, or what he can best and most cheaply 
obtain. The various experiences given in the replies will, how- 
ever, be of value as giving a good guide in cases where similar 
foods are the best obtainable. The reader must refer to the 
answers for the actual practice on the several farms described. 
It can only be said in a general summaiy that the use of food- 
mixtures has become very general on most of the good farms of 
the country, and that the use of meals, chiefly of corn, is be- 
coming more and more common. This results generally from 
the low prices which have of late prevailed in our markets. 
CooJced and Steamed Foods. — So far as the economy and use- 
fulness of cooked or steamed foods are concerned, there is the 
greatest variety of opinion, but on the whole it must be said 
that there is not so much in favour of the system as there is in 
favour of chaffing and mixing foods. Sir John Lawes has very 
kindly sent me a short summary giving the results of experi- 
ments on the subject, in which he says : — - 
"While the various methods of preparing fodder for animals, such as 
steaming, ensilage, &c. &c., may be accompanied by practical advantage, all 
the experiments hitherto executed show that the di(;estibility is not sensibly 
increased. It was found by Ilollriegel and Lucanus, that the digestibility 
of rye-straw by sheep, was not increased either by fermenting or cooking 
it. Experiments in Proskau by Funlce gave the same results regarding the 
digestibility of the total dry matter and the cellulose of a mixed ration, fed 
to milk cows. 
"Recent experiments at Popplesdorf showed decreased digestibility of 
hay as a result of steaming. Coarse hay fed to oxen, first dry, then steamed, 
showed a reduced digestibility of all the constituents, but especially of the 
