On Pulping Roots for Cattle Food. 
465 
sarily. It is driven by a small iixed donkey-engine, made by Mr. K. Bridges, 
(if North Berwick, at a cost of 20?., exclusive of boiler and pump, which are 
extra-sized for steaming food and for supplying my establishment with water. 
—Jan. 9, 1860. 
12. From Mr. Peteu M'L.\gax, Pumpherston, Mid Colder, K. B. 
According to promise, I send you a few notes of my experience in the pulping 
of turniiis. 
As the greater part of my cattle are kept in winter in convts of different 
sizes, capable of containing from four to twelve cattle each, I had always a 
difficulty in regulating the quantity of turnips for each description of stock. 
Tf the cattle were to be fattened off, they became restless if they did not get as 
inanj^ turnips as they could eat ; if they were supplied with what thej- could 
consume, they suffered from diarrhoea. Thus for the first four or six weeks 
after thej' commenced to get turnips they fell off in condition, either from rest- 
lessness or from scouring. If the cattle were only to be wintered, or to recei\-c 
one-half turnips, the stronger ones in the lot got more than their share, while 
the weaker were scarcely allowed to taste a turnip. I resorted to various 
methods to try and remedy these evils, but succeeded in none till I procured 
one of Bentall's root-pulpers and one of Richmond and Chandler's straw-cutters, 
both of which I attached to my water-wheel by means of a lying shaft. As I 
had not determined how far I would carry out the puljjing system, I did not 
erect separate buildings for the operation, but merely portioned off a part of 
the straw-barn, so that I was rather limited in room ; but it was sufficient for 
my purpose, as I wished to satisfj- myself as to the advantage of the system 
before adopting it for the feeding of all my stock. 
I use all my oat-chaff and some of my wheat-chaff for mixing with the 
pulped turnips, and when I am short of oat-chaff I cut oat-straw for the purjiose. 
All kinds of stock are fondest of the mixture when made with oat-chaff. Some- 
times I mix with the turnips and chaff' bean-meal, Indian corn-meal, rape-dust, 
linseed-cake, flour, &c. I prefer using the mixture after it has lain from 18 
to 24 hours ; but the animals do not object to it though it may have been 
made up for more than 48 hours. When such substances as rape-dust art 
uiixed with it, a very rapid fermentation takes place, and if it is not attended 
to in time, much valuable food will be wasted. The pulper gets through much 
more work than the straw-cutter — the usual rate of pulping being one ton 
every twenty minutes. This is the most convenient rate for the force of 
women I engage at the operation ; but I have very easily done three tons in 
lialf an hour. The turnips are washed when they are dirty ; but if they are 
lifted clean in dry weather they are not washed. The expense of pulping, 
cutting straw, and mixing the two together, with the addition of 18 stones of 
meal to every 2| tons of turnips, amounts to from 4rf. to Qd. per ton of turnips, 
according to the kind of turnips, and whether they are washed or not : 10 per 
cent, on the prime cost for the tear and wear of the machinery is included in 
the 4cZ. or Gd. The rule for mixing the ingredients is to fix the quantity of 
turnips to be given, and to add whatever quantity of chaff or straw may be 
necessary to satisfy the animals. 
Wintering, or Store Cattle. — They are generally about two years old. From 
56 to 60 lbs. of pulped turnips, mixed with about 8 to 10 lbs. of chaff or cut 
straw, are allowed to each per day, and they get besides as much oat-straw in 
" hecks " or cribs as they can consume. As I stated before, I have made no 
experiments ; but I have more than once observed that I have been able to sell 
fat those cattle which I wintered on 5 cwt. of pulped turnips as soon as those 
which got 1 cwt. of whole turni]is the winter before I fattened them. My 
practice is to buy my store cattle in November, keep them throughout the 
VOL. XX. 2 II 
