CATTLE. 
133 
thoroughly established as one of the best of fattening products ; and the 
extensive fanners of Lincolnshire and other places expend upon a single 
farm, in one year, as much as £400 to £500, for this article of food ; 
and so well understood is its fertilizing character, that many land-owners 
are willing to make themselves and their incoming tenants, chargeable 
with proportions of the money so expended, at the rate of one-half to 
one-third. It is the opinion of some of the best farmers, that when 
cake can be purchased at the same price per ton, in pounds, that beef 
and mutton can be sold at per stone in shillings, it will be paid for in the 
cattle and animals fed, without reference to the manure.* The price 
of cake, however, depends on no such element of calculation ; the de- 
mand for it has increased far beyond that of the oil, and in some seasons 
it has been so great, that the former became an object of commerce 
rather than the latter. 
Attempts have been occasionally made to render the uncrushed seed 
available by a cooking process, but it has been generally found more 
adapted for calves than for store stock or for fattening; where used 
at all for the latter purpose, it has only been to supply a deficiency in 
turnips. 
The most decisive step, however, in the use of cooked linseed, was 
taken by Mr. Warnes, of Trimmingham, near North Walsham, in Nor- 
folk, in 1841, when a discussion was appointed by the Farmers’ Club 
there, on feeding cattle with linseed cake. Mr. Warnes commenced by 
inquiring into the nature of cake. lie immediately commenced a series 
of experiments with flax-seed in various forms — both crushed, steeped, 
boiled, and cooked in various ways. He also tried the boiling of bar- 
ley and other food on various animals. He ultimately adopted a mode 
of feeding, on what was called by him flax-seed compound. He carried 
out, in connection with his experiments, growing, dressing and prepar- 
ing the flax, the feeding of cattle with the prepared seed in boxes as 
antagonist to tying up, and the summer grazing of cattle by soiling. 
His cooking apparatus is so simple, that it is managed by a blind 
man, whose happy countenance bespeaks neither over-wceuing anxiety, 
nor unremunerated toil. The apparatus consists of two cast-metal boil- 
ers, fixed in brick, and having a fire-place beneath them ; the water is 
made to boil before the flax-seed is put in. The seed is crushed by a 
very powerful implement, consisting of two cylinders, one of them be- 
ing of large diameter ; they are made to press upon each other in their 
revolutions by two lunar springs, and two men will thoroughly grind 
two bushels in ten minutes ; at this rate the men are able to work the 
whole day. The mill is, however, capable of being reduced to the 
capacity of one man. The crushed flax-seed is sprinkled upon the boil- 
ing water at the rate of one gallon of seed to eight gallons of water ; 
great stress is laid on sprinkling the seed very gradually, otherwise it is 
apt to adhere in lumps, and cleave to the sides or bottom of the boiler. 
M ith this precaution, however, Mr. Warnes assures us he has had no 
instance, for several years, of this occurrence. This mixture is boiled 
six minutes, and for that period is slightly stirred ; at the end of that 
* The pound sterling is $4.85 ; tho shilling is 24 cents ; the stono woight 14 lbs. 
