454 Suggestions for Stock-feeding in the Winter oj 1893-04. 
cl rou glit- stricken area embraces about twenty counties. It is 
within this area, which includes the Eastern, Southern, Western, 
and part of the Midland counties of England, that the pinch 
of the coming winter will be most severely felt. 
Accordingly, it is from practical men dwelling within this 
south-eastern half of England that the suggestions contained in 
the following pages have been drawn. There is embodied in 
these suggestions nothing that is either theoretical on the one 
hand, or beyond the limits or capacity of the ordinary stock- 
feeder on the other, and their intrinsic value cannot but be 
increased by the fact that they all emanate from men each of 
whom has to face the winter problem himself. For convenience 
of reference the names of the authors are here given in alpha- 
betical order, whilst the numbers indicate the sequence in which 
their several communications are presented to the reader : — 
II. Mr. J. F. Beddall, Marston Park, Ampthill, Beds. 
HI. Mr. T. K. Hulbert, North Cerney, Cirencester, Glos. 
IV. Mr. Clare Sewell Bead, Honingham Thorpe, Norfolk. 
V. Professor J. P. Sheldon, Sheen, Ashbourne (Staffs). 
VI. Mr. H. Simmons, Bearwood Farm, Wokingham, Berks. 
VII. Mr. Alfred J. Smith, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk. 
VIII. Mr. Tom T. Stacey, Winterbourne Kingston, Blandford, 
Dorset. 
IX. Mr. Thomas Stirton, Stratton, Micheldever, Hants. 
X. Mr. Richaed Stratton, The Duffryn, Newport, Mon. 
In the course of the inquiry I received various letters, from 
several of which serviceable extracts may be made, and these 
may appropriately appear at this stage. 
An extensive breeder and feeder, and successful exhibitor of 
stock, dwelling in Kent, but who has also had considerable 
experience elsewhere, says : — 
Last winter I used a great quantity of dried grains with success, and 
this year I am thinking of steaming mixed hay and straw with different 
kinds of meal, and thus as far as possible both economising the fodder crops 
and supplying the moisture which we lose through the deficient root-crops. 
Molasses may be of use in this direction. 
The point, however, which exercises me most is that I should like to 
feed this steamed mixture warm, if not hot, to the stock, and I am not clear 
how such beasts, especially the store cattle, can stand this, unless they are 
in covered courts — which, again, I do not think very good for them. 
We might possibly meet the case by feeding them with dry artificial food 
outside during the day, and giving them a -'‘boiling” at night under cover. 
I feel sure of moderate success with fat cattle, but I apprehend some 
difficulty with regard to store cattle, more especially as it will not be easy 
to hit the happy medium in the quantity it will pay to give them. 
No doubt, while the late grass lasts, it will be necessary to keep every- 
