460 
On Pulping Roots for Cattle Food. 
few bullocks, my natural food not being good enough ; but I usually buy store 
cattle, chiefly Scots, and improve them from 3Z. to 4Z. per head diiring the 
■winter, and sell them at Norwich in the spring. — Dec. 14, 1859. 
3. From Mr. Joseph Pollard, HigMown, Hitchin. 
I have used a pulping machine (one of Bentall's manufacture) for the last 
three years, and so approve of the system that I have purchased another 
machine this year. Hitherto I have only used puljjed food for neat stock, but 
am now trying its effect upon pigs also, with the hoi)e of saving a large por- 
tion of the meal. I have adopted the plan of rearing my own cattle, weaning 
the calves, grazing them two summers, and fattening them off, and calving the 
heifers before the third. During the winter months the store cattle of all ages 
have nothing but an abundant supply of pulped roots (Swede turnips in the 
early, and mangolds in the later months), with straw chaff, and " cavings " when 
we thresh. Last year I was very short of roots, and was obliged to limit their 
quantity and substitute meal instead. This year I am very fortunately well 
off for roots, and the store cattle have had nothing but i^ulped roots and straw 
chaft' ; and they have done quite as well, if not better, than last year. The 
fatting stock have meal and oil-cake ground small, which is then mixed with 
the ]iulped food and chaff, and all thoroughly incorporated together. 
I invariably use the roots fresh, and have done so well that I do not intend 
trying the fermentation process again, not having succeeded with my first ex- 
periment. I have never used any pulped food for horses, nor for sheep ; indeed, 
for the latter, I think Gardner's Turnip Cutter a more useful implement, for, 
in dirty weather, it is quite impossible to i^revent a gi-eat deal of dirt being 
mixed up in pulping the roots, which, on many farms, would not fail to pro- 
duce scorn ing, &c. ; whereas, by the other machine, the dirty outsides are re- 
jected by the sheep, and left in their troughs. There can be no question, I 
think, as to the advantage of preparing roots in this manner ; there is no waste, 
all being cleaned u]) well after every feed. The time gained by the animal in 
digestion, by having highly comminuted food given to it, is vcrj- important, 
particularly with fatting stock. I have never yet steamed the food : 1 cannot 
tliink it necessary for ruminants ; it may possibly answer for pigs and horses, 
but cattle have their food so long macerating in the first stomach, that, pro- 
vided it is given finely mixed and minced, I cannot but think it more natural 
than to cook it for them. In conclusion, I may add that, since I used the 
pulper, the meal has never hovon or blown any stock, which was not unfre- 
quently the case formerly, when meal was given with chaft" onlj' ; and the 
impossibility of an animal choking itself is also a very important point. — 
Dec, 21, 1859. 
4. From Mr. James Beadel, 25, Gresham Street, London. 
I regret I cannot give j^ou accurately the result of the experiments I have 
made with jiulped food for horses, sheep, or cattle. My only object was to 
satisfy myself ; and, after using pulpers three or four years, I have arrived at 
the conclusion that they are a far more valuable implement than any root- 
cutting machine. I have no doubt as to the economy of pulping, the result 
of wliich is a great saving of hay, none of which do I ever use for store cattle, 
nor oven for those I fatten till they arc within a few weeks of maturity. The 
ingredient I use with pulped roots is straw, having them mixed and turned 
over 24 hours before they are given to the stock ; 1 bushel of roots to 2 
biishcls of cut straw-chaft". In proportion as I wish to force the animal, I add 
to the mixture a certain portion of oil-cake or malt-dust, barley or bean-meal. 
During the four years I have puli)ed, my stock has been remarkably free from 
