Agi'icultural Maxima. 
453 
intelligently carry out the full instructions and explanations 
which Mr. Smith has given. 
These, then, are the few instances for the present given of our 
largest yields of agricultural produce. They are worthless for 
statistical purposes — tliey have done little to raise the average? 
of the national produce, and, indeed, excepting such cases as the 
last, which, though extraordinary as compared with general agri- 
cultural experience, are constant in the experience of the indi- 
vidual cultivator, they have done little, in the long run, to mark 
out those who have communicated them from their neighbours. 
Though of little value, however, to the statist, they ought to teach 
some useful truths ; and this they are capable of doing just in pro- 
portion to the fulness of the history which has been given of them. 
Perhaps the most general lesson which they teach is that the 
natural method of fertility is, after all, the most efficient. As 
Mr. Cubitt tells us, it is the fertile season, rather than the artificial 
treatment of the land, that results in a maximum of produce. 
And just in proportion therefore as this artificial treatment 
imitates the conditions of the natural, success will be its return. 
All the cases of extraordinary yield from land recently taken 
out of pasture, from crops liberally irrigated, and, as at Lois 
Weedon, from soils so treated as to give full scope to the fertilis- 
ing agencies of nature, point to the subdivision and complete ad- 
mixture of our manures, as well as of our soils, to the use of such 
implements for this purpose as the water-drill, and to such 
deep and thorough tillage of the land as in the ordinary experi- 
ence of fallowing has everywhere and always been admitted to be 
among the most efficient means of artificial fertility. 
Streatley, Reading. 
XXIV. — On Pulping Roots for Cattle-Food. 
By Charles Lawrence. 
Many years have passed since our attention was directed to the 
universal and, as it appeared to us, irrational practice of farmers, 
in giving animals large quantities (from one to two hundred- 
weight per diem) of neat roots containing 90 per cent, of water, 
the more solid dry food being given independently. When we 
commenced the feeding of animals, we could not reconcile that 
practice with the animal economy. We reduced the maximum 
allowance of roots to 70 lbs. per head a-day for bullocks, and 
gave this at the morning and evening feeds as intimately incor- 
porated with chaff as was practicable by the root-cutter of the 
day which most effectually reduced the roots. This was 
