690 
Utilisation of Straw as Food for Stock. 
“ I have employed a great deal of malt during the last two years, and 
am quite satisfied with the results. For heasts I use about 1 quart each per 
day mixed with cake, corn, straw-chaft’, and a small quantity of mangel pulp, 
and T believe the malt induces the animals to consume a larger amount of 
dry food than they otherwise would, and by mixing the whole together the 
day before used the chafi’ is made very palatable. 
The late Dr. Voelcker, in one of his published letters, made 
a statement respecting the action of malt when intermixed with 
other starchy foods which almost leads to the supposition that 
the diastase goes on acting on them even after being consumed. 
He said : — 
“Malt possesses the valuable property of rendering other food more 
digestible, and of preserving the health of fattening stock. In order to 
fatten animals as economically and profitably as possible, it is necessary to 
supply them liberally with a variety of food. The excess of food conveyed 
into the system during the fattening period often greatly impairs the digestive 
powers and endangers their health. ilalt greatly assists the dissolving 
action of the stomach, and thus supplies the absorbing vessels readily with 
liquid food. According to Payen and Peraz, the eminent French chemists, 
malt contains but 2-lOOOths of diastase, a compound which, not admitting 
of quantitative determination, is not mentioned in my analytical results. 
Notwitlistanding this trifling quantity, the diastase of 1 lb. of malted barley, 
according to Liebig, is capable of converting into sugar 5 lb. of starch. I 
believe, therefore, it will be found that the cellular fibre and husk of grain 
are more easily and thoroughly e.xhausted of starch when the crushed grain 
is mixed with a small proportion of malt than otherwise. The full fattening 
effects of the grain will then be realised, and none of the starch particles be 
carried off wfith the faeces. We can thus understand why a small proportion 
of malt produces very striking effects when added to other less digestible 
food. I am inclined to think that malt improves materially the feeding 
value of other less digestible food, not so much on account of the sugar it 
contains as in virtue of the peculiar dissolving action which it exercises on 
other articles of food. Too large an amount of sugar in food, it appears to 
me, may probably have the effect of nauseating ; and as brewera’ malt 
contains much sugar, it is likely that, however beneficial in small doses, such 
malt ought not to be given to stock in large quantities.'’ 
'J’his scientific opinion not only vindicates very forcibly the 
rationale of the inclusion of malt in the general dietary of farm 
aiiimals, showing that the fondness of practical farmers for it 
has not been a mere fancy, but peculiarly shows the fitness of 
the employment of malt whenever straw fodder is made to form 
a leading portion of the usual food. The chief objection raised 
against the latter has always been its indigestible nature ; hence 
the various methods designed for cooking, steaming, and fer- 
menting straw chaff, as well as macerating it by causing it to 
absorb scalding soups or liquids. The addition of malt, it seems, 
will promote the digestibility of the substance in another way by 
chemical action. Among the farmers of the present day who 
exhibit the greatest fondness for malt feeding, especially in con- 
