Anomalies of the Grazing Season of 1894. 
669 
rately stated case such as the foregoing, but the comparative 
rental value which is capable of feeding the two different classes 
of animal, and the consequent larger amount of rates, with the 
extra interest on the further outlay of capital, tell largely in 
favour of the land which, in addition, has this year grown so 
much more grass. 
My assumption that the beast originally weighing 9 cwt., 
as well as the one of 10 cwt., should have both put on an in- 
crease of 3 cwt., may be open to criticism, yet in this, again, I 
have acted adversely to my own argument. I have before me 
the following weights which have come within my own experi- 
ence during the season : — 
Number of cattle 
Original average 
weight in spring 
Average increase of 
weight during summer 
5 
53 
stones 
36 8 stones 
4 
53 
29 „ 
3 
54 
» 
27-5 „ 
8 
08-5 
26 
14 
80 
27-5 „ 
Here it will be seen those originally weighing least have 
put on most weight. Undoubtedly, the period of grazing 
affects the increase ; but the land can only carry so many head 
of stock, and it matters little if the grass is there — as was the 
case this year, on land which would graze an animal of from 
50 to 70 stones — whether the animal was grazing for four months 
or five. I have a further reason for omitting to compare the 
average weights per day, and that is, that the beast which is 
grazed for the shorter period puts on a much greater average 
weight per day than the beast grazed for a longer period. 
1 have made a comparison, which it may be convenient at 
this point to mention, of the average daily gain of from 40 to 60 
head of stock for different periods of the grazing season, the 
beasts selected having been grazed on similar class of land, and 
kept under similar treatment : — 
Increase per head 
per day 
April 20 <o May 30 — 40 days . . 3-492 lb. \ ~ 
May 30 to June 28—29 days . . 3782 „ / ~ r£t * 
June 28 to August 1 — 34 days . 1894 „ \ „ OQ n. 
August 1 to September 4 — 34 days . 1-745 „ J ~ ‘ J b ’ 
It will be seen that for the 69 days previous to June 28 
these beasts put on almost exactly twice as much per head on 
the average as they did for the 68 days following — 7’274 
lb. against 3 - 639 lb. 
1 think it may be accepted as correct that feeding 
beasts bought in the spring in good store condition have 
vol. v. t. S. — 20 y y 
