On Fulping Roots for Cattle Food. 
459 
The reporter does not advise the mincing process to be commenced when cattle 
are very forward in condition, as any change of food requires a certain time to 
accnstom the animals to it, and in the mean time fat cattle arc apt to fall oif in 
condition. It ought to be begun when they are young and lean. 
Swedish turnips, when given to ewes in lamb, are found to cause inflamma- 
tion, and frequently death ; and last season the reporter, having upwards of 
200 great ewes, with little else than Swedes to carry them through the winter, 
thought that, by mincing them and mixing with cut straw, they would do 
well — which was the case. As Avith the cattle, double the hulk of cut straw 
was put amongst the turnips, and carted to boxes laid on a grass field every 
morning and evening, and the quantity of roots consumed was much less than 
in the ordinary way of spreading whole turnips on a field, while the condition 
of the sheep was kept up by the quantity of fodder they ate, which they would 
not have done by any other process. 
It is well known that the stomach of a ruminating animal must be filled pre- 
vious to chewing the cud, and if that is done by a system of mixing the roots 
and fodder, it gives the animal more rest, which is essential both to feeding 
and breeding. The food so prepared keeps well for three da3^s, so it is seldom 
the steam-engine has to be put on for the purpose of mincing alone ; as, during 
the feeding season, when corn is generally threshed, an hour or two of extra 
steam answers the purposes of mincing and cutting straw, both of the 
machines going at the same time. Two men are required, one to feed the 
machine and the other to shovel it away ; the time necessary to cut a cartload 
being a few minutes. 
In conclusion, the reporter may add he believes the machine will be exten- 
sively used and approved of, and he has no doubt it will come into more 
general use : having for its great object economising of roots, and causing a 
larger quantity of straw to be consumed as food, it is well worthy to be tried 
by our intelligent agriculturists. — Xov. 14, 1859. 
2. From Mr. A. S. Ruston, Ayhsby House, Chatteris. 
I have adopted the pulping system for the last few years successfully. My 
usual practice has been to cut either oat or wheat straw with about one-fourth 
hay (mown seeds) into chafi' for my store bullocks. In some instances I 
have cut straw only, and that not uufrequently of a coarse, inferior quality, as 
is the case \vith most of ours grown upon fen lands. The same remark will 
also apply to the hay. With this chafl' I have put from one to two pecks of 
pulped mangolds, and, after properly mixing it, have given it at once to the 
cattle without fermentation. With this mixture they have also had a small 
allowance of cake. I find the bullocks will eat this mixed food greedily, and 
will consume very large quantities of it ; whereas, were the chaff and mangolds 
given separately, they would eat but very little indeed of the former, unless it 
were made much better in quality, whilst they would hunger after the latter, 
and keep in an unsettled state during a great part of the day. 
I therefore find, as the result of this system, that the cattle are tempted to 
consume a much larger quantity of in ferior food than they otherwise would 
do, and that they eat it with an evident relish, and also take their rest more 
regularly ; the consequence of all which is, they thrive much faster. The 
stomach being projjerly filled and distended with this common and inferior 
food, and digestion being stimulated and excited thereby, the animal is the 
better enabled to assimilate those more costly and more fattening qualities of 
food which are supplied in the form of cake, &c. Pulping is also economical 
as regards the roots themselves. A smaller quantity on this system suffices, 
and produces results more satisfactory than a larger quantity would on the 
old system. My experience is confined chiefly to growiug steers. I feed but 
