SECTION III._The Stock-Feeder's Manual the chemistry of food in relation to the breeding and feeding of live stock

GREEN FOOD.

_The Grasses._--More than one-half the area of Great Britain and Ireland

is under pasture; the grasses, therefore, constitute the most important

and abundant food used by live stock. The composition of the natural

and artificial grasses is greatly influenced by the nature of the soil

on which they are grown, and by the climatic conditions under which

they are developed. Many of them are almost worthless, whilst others

possess a high nutritive value. Amongst the most useful natural

grasses may be enumerated Italian rye-grass, Meadow barley, Annual

Meadow-grass, Crested dogstail-grass, Cocksfoot-grass, Timothy or

Meadow catstail-grass, and Sweet vernal-grass. Amongst grasses of medium

quality I may mention common Oatlike-grass, Meadow foxtail grass, Smooth

and rough stalked Meadow-grass, and Waterwhorl-grass. There are very

many grasses which are almost completely innutritious, and which ought,

under no circumstances, to be tolerated, although too often they make

up the great bulk of the herbage of badly-managed meadows and pastures.

Such grasses are, the Meadow soft-grass, Creeping soft-grass, False

brome-grass, and Upright brome-grass. The rough-stalked Meadow-grass,

though spoken favorably of by some farmers, is hardly worthy of

cultivation, and the same may be said of many of the grasses which have

a place in our meadows and pastures. (See "Analyses of Natural Grasses

in a Fresh State, by Dr. Voelcker," on next page.)

The _Schraeder brome_ is a perennial lately introduced into France. It

is described as an exceedingly valuable forage crop, and one which is

admirably adapted for the feeding of dairy cows. It would be desirable

to give it a trial in these countries. The composition (which is very

peculiar) of this plant is stated to be as follows, when dry:--

ANALYSIS OF SCHRAEDER BROME HAY.

Water 16.281

Nitrogenous matters 23.443

Fat 3.338

Starch gum, &c. 22.549

Cellulose (fibre) 19.843

Ashes 14.546

-------

Total 100.000

ANALYSES OF NATURAL GRASSES IN A FRESH STATE, BY DR. VOELCKER.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

| KEY: |

| A.--Water. |

| B.--Albuminous or Flesh-forming Principles. |

| C.--Fatty Matters. |

| D.--Respiratory Principles: Starch, Gum, Sugar. |

| E.--Woody Fibre. |

| F.--Mineral Matter or Ash. |

| G.--Date of Collection. |

+-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+-------+

| | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G. |

+-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+-------+

| Sweet-scented vernal grass |80.35| 2.00| .67| 8.54| 7.15| 1.24|May 25|

| Meadow foxtail grass |80.20| 2.44| .52| 8.59| 6.70| 1.55|June 1|

| Common oat-like grass |72.65| 3.54| .87| 11.21| 9.37| 2.36|July 17|

| Yellow oat-like grass |60.40| 2.96| 1.04| 18.66| 14.22| 2.72|June 29|

| Downy oat-grass |61.50| 3.07| .92| 19.16| 13.34| 2.01|July 11|

| Common quaking grass |51.85| 2.93| 1.45| 22.60| 17.00| 4.17|June 29|

| Upright brome grass |59.57| 3.78| 1.35| 33.19 | 2.11| " 23|

| Soft brome grass |76.62| 4.05| .47| 9.04| 8.46| 1.36| May 8|

| Crested dogstail grass |62.73| 4.13| 1.32| 19.64| 9.80| 2.38|June 21|

| Cocksfoot grass |70.00| 4.06| .94| 13.30| 10.11| 1.54| " 13|

| Ditto, seeds ripe |52.57|10.93| .74| 12.61| 20.54| 2.61|July 19|

| Hard fescue grass |69.33| 3.70| 1.02| 12.46| 11.83| 1.66|June 13|

| Soft meadow grass |69.70| 3.49| 1.02| 11.92| 11.94| 1.93| " 29|

| Meadow barley |58.85| 4.59| .94| 20.05| 13.03| 2.54|July 11|

| Darnel grass |71.43| 3.37| .91| 12.08| 10.06| 2.15|June 8|

| Italian rye-grass |75.61| 2.45| .80| 14.11| 4.82| 2.21| " 13|

| Meadow catstail grass |57.21| 4.86| 1.50| 22.85| 11.32| 2.26| |

| Annual meadow grass |79.14| 2.47| .71| 10.79| 6.30| .59| May 28|

| Smooth-stalked meadow grass|67.14| 3.41| .86| 14.15| 12.49| 1.95|June 11|

| Rough-stalked ditto |73.60| 2.58| .97| 10.54| 10.11| 2.20| " 18|

|Grass from water meadow |87.58| 3.22| .81| 3.98| 3.13| 1.28|Apr. 30|

| Ditto, second crop |74.53| 2.78| .52| 11.17| 8.76| 2.24|June 26|

|Annual rye-grass |69.00| 2.96| .69| 12.89| 12.47| 1.99| " 8|

+-----------------------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+-----+-------+

Most of the grasses here mentioned were analysed when in flower.

_Tussac Grass_ (_Dactylis caespitus_) is recommended as an excellent

plant to grow on very poor, wet, or mossy soils.[26] It is an evergreen

grass, somewhat resembling coltsfoot. It is relished by cattle.

ANALYSIS OF TUSSAC GRASS BY JOHNSTONE.

Lower part. Upper part.

Water 86.09 75.17

Flesh-formers 2.47 4.79

Sugar, gum, &c. 4.62 6.81

Woody fibre (with a little albumen) 5.68 11.86

Ash 1.14 1.37

------ ------

Total 100.00 100.00

The "artificial grasses" embrace the clovers, vetches, lucerne, and

a few other plants, some of which are seldom cultivated.

ANALYSES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLOVER, BY DR. ANDERSON.

+---------------------------------------------

| KEY:

| A.--Water.

| B.--Dry Substances.

| C.--Ash.

| D.--Nitrogenised Substances.

| E.--Ash.

| F.--Nitrogenised Matters.

------------------------+-----------------------------+---------------

| Per-centage in the | Per-centage

| Fresh Clover. | in Dry Clover.

+-------+-------+------+------+-------+-------

| A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F.

------------------------+-------+-------+------+------+-------+-------

1. From English seed | 85.30 | 14.70 | 1.30 | 2.31 | 8.90 | 15.87

(from the Rhine) | 81.68 | 18.32 | 1.49 | 2.81 | 8.15 | 15.50

3. From French seed | 83.51 | 16.49 | 1.95 | 2.25 | 11.82 | 13.56

4. From American seed | 79.98 | 21.02 | 1.58 | 2.87 | 8.05 | ...

5. From Dutch seed | ... | ... | ... | ... | 8.82 | 12.43

" Duke of Norfolk | 77.39 | 22.61 | 2.73 | 2.25 | 12.09 | 10.19

" common | 81.76 | 18.24 | 1.92 | 3.19 | 10.53 | 14.37

From French seed | 82.56 | 17.44 | 1.88 | 3.25 | 10.81 | 18.56

From English seed | 77.38 | 22.62 | 2.02 | 3.50 | 8.95 | 15.44

From French seed | 78.60 | 21.40 | 1.75 | 2.94 | 8.18 | 13.69

------------------------+-------+-------+------+------+-------+-------

_Clover_ is very rich in flesh-forming and heat-producing substances.

There are several varieties of this plant, of which the Alsike Clover

appears to be the most valuable, as it contains a high proportion of

organic matter and gives the largest acreable produce. The nature of the

soil influences, to a great extent, the composition of this plant: this

no doubt accounts for the somewhat discrepant result of the analyses of

it made by Way, Voelcker, and Anderson.

The composition of the Vetch, Sainfoin, and Lucerne, resembles very

closely that of the Clover: indeed, it appears to me that all these

leguminous plants are nearly equally valuable as green forage, but that

the best adapted for hay is the Clover. In the following table the

composition of these plants is shown:--

ANALYSES OF CLOVER, BY DR. VOELCKER.

---------------------------+-------+-------+-------+---------+---------

| I. | II. | III. | IV. | V.

+-------+-------+-------+---------+---------

Water | 80.64 | 83.65 | 77.57 | 76.67 | 81.30

| | | | |

_a._ Organic substances | 6.35 | 4.98 | 8.26 | 4.91 | 6.80

_b._ Inorganic substances| 1.55 | 1.13 | 1.40 | 1.33 | 1.54

| | | | |

fibre | 11.04 | 9.80 | 12.17 | 16.36 | 10.01

(ash) | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.60 | 0.73 | 0.35

+-------+-------+-------+---------+---------

|100.00 |100.00 |100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00

---------------------------+-------+-------+-------+---------+---------

ANALYSES OF LUCERNE, SAINFOIN, AND VETCH.

---------------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------

| I. | II. | III.

| Lucerne. | Sainfoin. | Vetch.

+----------+-----------+--------

Water | 73.41 | 77.32 | 82.16

| | |

Soluble in Water | | |

_a._ Organic substances | 9.43 | 8.00 | 6.07

_b._ Inorganic substances | 2.33 | 1.20 | 1.07

| | |

Insoluble in water | | |

_a._ Impure vegetable fibre | 14.08 | 12.95 | 10.23

_b._ Inorganic matters (ash) | 0.75 | 0.53 | 0.47

+----------+-----------+--------

| 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00

---------------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------

The artificial grasses are, on the whole, more nutritious than the

natural grasses; but I should explain that the analyses of the natural

grasses which I have quoted refer to those plants in what may be almost

termed their wild state: under the influence of good cultivation--when

irrigated or top-dressed with abundance of appropriate manure--their

analyses would indicate a higher nutritive value. The grasses, and more

especially the so-called artificial grasses, are more nutritious and

digestible when young. In old clover the proportion of insoluble woody

fibre is often so considerable as to greatly detract from the alimental

value of the plant.

The _Lentils_, the _Birdsfoot_, the _Trefoil_, and the _Melilot_ are

leguminous plants which occasionally are found as constituents of forage

crops. Lentils are extensively cultivated on the Continent, and are

the only kind of these plants the chemistry of which has been at all

studied. The straw contains 7 per cent. of flesh-formers.

_The Yellow Lupine_ is cultivated rather extensively in Germany,

France, and Belgium, partly for feeding purposes, partly to furnish a

green manure. Its seeds constitute a nutritious article of food for man,

and its stems and leaves are given to cattle. An attempt was made a few

years ago to introduce its cultivation, as a field crop, into England,

and very satisfactory results attended the first trials made with it.

Mr. Kimber, who has cultivated this crop, states that it is likely to

prove valuable on light sandy soils, where the ordinary green fodder

crops are not easily cultivated. The produce per acre obtained in

Mr. Kimber's trial was about nineteen tons. Cattle and sheep relish

the Yellow Lupine, but according to Mr. Kimber, pigs reject it.

Professor Voelcker examined this plant, and found that it resembled in

composition the ordinary artificial grasses, except in one respect,

namely, a remarkable deficiency in sugar. Altogether, it is not so rich

in nutriment as any of the commonly cultivated leguminous plants; but

as it can be cultivated on a very poor soil, and gives a good return,

it is probable that the Yellow Lupine will yet become a common crop in

Britain. The following table exhibits the results of Dr. Voelcker's

analysis.

COMPOSITION OF YELLOW LUPINES (CUT DOWN IN A GREEN STATE).

In natural state. Dried at 212 deg.F.

Water 89.20

Oil .37 3.42

[*] Soluble albuminous compounds 1.37 12.68

Soluble mineral (saline) substances .61 5.64

[+] Insoluble albuminous compounds 1.01 9.35

Sugar, gum, bitter extractive matter,

and digestible fibre 3.96 36.68

Indigestible woody fibre (cellulose) 3.29 30.48

Insoluble mineral matters .19 1.75

------ ------

100.00 100.00

[* Containing nitrogen .22 2.03]

[+ Containing nitrogen .16 1.48]

_Rib grass plantain_ (_Plantago lanceolata_) is one of those plants, the

value of which for forage purposes is questionable. Many persons believe

it to be a useful food. Its composition, which looks favorable, is as

follows:--

Water 84.78

Albuminous matters 2.18

Fatty matters 0.56

Starch, gum, &c. 6.08

Woody fibre 5.10

Mineral matter 1.30

The grasses, natural and artificial, are occasionally affected by a

formidable and well-known fungus, the _ergot_. Italian rye-grass is the

most liable to the ravages of this pest, and there are on record several

cases in which ergotted rye-grass proved fatal to the animal fed upon

it. Clover and the various leguminous plants appear more liable to the

ergot disease than the natural grasses (except rye-grass), but I have

on several occasions noticed this fungus on the spikelets of _Hordeum

pratense_, _Festuca pratense_, and _Bromus erectus_. It has also been

noticed that rye-grass rapidly developed under the influence of liquid

manure is so rank that young animals fed upon it are poisonously

affected. Alderman Mechi states that in July, 1864, ten out of his

thirty Shorthorn calves died in consequence of eating the heads of

Italian rye-grass, and that the survivors' health was seriously injured.

He was also unfortunate with his lambs, which, during the same month,

were folded on Italian rye-grass. "Four days ago," writes the Alderman,

"it was sewaged, having been prior to the former growth also guanoed.

In four days it had grown from four to five inches, was of an intense

green, and pronounced to be, by sharp practical men, just the food for

lambs. Well, we put on our lambs, taking care to do so in the evenings

after they had been well fed. My bailiff accompanied them, and, within

five minutes, turning accidentally round, he saw two of the lambs with

their heads in the air staggering (stomach staggers it is called) and

frothing at the mouth. He immediately saw the mischief, removed the

lambs, and on their way back to a bare fold some of them vomited the

Italian rye-grass that they had just eaten, accompanied by frothy slime;

others brought it up during the night. Some of them trembled, gaped,

and showed all the same symptoms that my calves had done, such as rapid

pulse, &c. Two or three of them are rather queer to-day. I hope that

Professor Simmonds or some capable person will tell us how this is? If

we mow this grass, bring it home, and cut it into chaff, all which tends

to heat or dry it, it becomes wholesome food. The same remarks apply in

degree to very succulent tares. If the Italian grass is brought home and

given long and quite fresh to the calves, it will kill them. It does not

appear to injure old ewes as it does lambs or shearlings. The dry

weather has something to do with it. In wet weather the evil is much

diminished, or disappears."

It is probable that the juice of this poisonous herbage was extremely

rich in matters only semi-organised, and perhaps abounded in the crude

substances from which the vegetable tissues are elaborated. Such

rank grass as this was should not be used until it has attained to a

tolerably developed state: in mature plants the juices contain more

highly organised matters than are found in young vegetables.

The _Sorghuo_, _or Holcus Saccharatus_.--This plant, introduced to

the notice of the British farmer but a few years ago, is only grown

in these countries in small quantities. It is very rich in sugar, and

cattle relish it greatly. Its composition, according to Dr. Voelcker,

is as follows:--

Water 81.80

Albuminous matters 1.53

Insoluble ditto 0.66

Sugar 5.85

Wax and fatty matter 2.55

Mucilage, pectin, and digestible matters 2.59

Indigestible woody fibre 4.03

Mineral matter 0.99

------

100.00

The plants referred to in the above analysis were cut in September.

It is found that the composition of the plant is very different at

different seasons.

_Green Rye_ is employed as a forage crop, for which purpose it is well

adapted. It is about equal in nutritive power to clover. According to

Dr. Voelcker its composition is as follows:--

Water 75.423

Flesh-formers 2.705

Fatty matter 0.892

Gum, pectin, sugar, &c. 9.134

Woody-fibre 10.488

Mineral matter 1.358

-------

100.000

_Buckwheat_ is occasionally cut in a green state and used as food for

stock. Its composition, according to Einhof and Crome, is as follows:--

Water 82.5

Nitrogenous compounds 0.2

Extractive matters 2.6

Starch, &c. 4.7

Cellulose 10.0

-----

100.0

Rape is one of our most valuable plants for stock feeding. Two varieties

are cultivated in these countries--the summer rape (_Brassica Campestris

oleifera_) and winter rape (_Brassica rapus_). The great utility of

rape arises from the circumstance of its being generally obtained as a

_stolen_ crop; for otherwise it is not quite equal to other plants that

might be substituted for it--cabbages, &c. This plant is very rich in

oily matters, and has been found well adapted both for the feeding of

cattle and the fattening of sheep. Its composition, according to

Voelcker, is shown in this table:--

COMPOSITION OF GREEN RAPE.

Water 87.050

Flesh-formers 3.133

Fatty matters 0.649

Other respiratory substances 4.000

Woody fibre 3.560

Mineral matter (ash) 1.608

-------

100.000

With respect to the value of rape for the feeding of stock in spring,

Mr. Rham makes the following remarks:--

If the crop is very forward it may be slightly fed off, but in

general it is best to let it remain untouched till spring. In the

end of March and the beginning of April it will be a great help

to the ewes and lambs. It will produce excellent food till it

begins to be in flower, when it should immediately be ploughed up.

The ground will be found greatly recruited by this crop, which has

taken nothing from it, and has added much by the dung and urine of

the sheep. Whatever be the succeeding crop, it cannot fail to be

productive; and if the land is not clean, the farmer must have

neglected the double opportunity of destroying weeds in the

preceding summer, and in the early part of spring. If the rape is

fed off in time, it may be succeeded by barley or oats, with clover

or grass seeds, or potatoes, if the soil is not too wet. Thus no

crop will be lost, and the rape will have been a clear addition to

the produce of the land. Any crop which is taken off the land in a

green state, especially if it be fed off with sheep, may be repeated

without risk of failure, provided the land be properly tilled; but

where cole or rape have produced seed, they cannot be profitably

sown in less than five or six years after on the same land. The

cultivation of rape or cole for spring food cannot be too strongly

recommended to the farmers of heavy clay soils.

_The Mustard Plant_ is occasionally used as food for sheep, for which

purpose its composition shows it to be well adapted. Voelcker's analysis

proves it to be very rich, relatively, in muscle-forming elements and in

mineral matters; it might, therefore be with advantage combined with

food relatively deficient in these principles.

COMPOSITION OF FRESH MUSTARD.

Water 86.30

Albuminous matters 2.87

Non-nitrogenous matters (gum, sugar, oil, &c.) 4.40

Woody fibre 4.39

Ash 2.04

------

100.00

_The Prickly Comfrey_ has been recommended as a good forage plant.

It yields an abundant crop--or rather crops, for it may be cut several

times in the year. The plant is a handsome one, and it might combine the

useful with the ornamental if it were cultivated on demesne or villa

farms. Dr. Voelcker states its composition to be as follows:--

Water 88.400

Flesh-forming substances 2.712

Heat and fat-producing matters 6.898

Ash 1.990

-------

100.000

_Chicory_ is used as a forage crop on the Continent, and Professor John

Wilson surmises that it may yet be generally cultivated for this purpose

in Great Britain. At present it is rarely grown except for the sake of

its roots, which are used as partial substitutes for, or adulterants of,

coffee.

COMPOSITION OF CHICORY, ACCORDING TO ANDERSON.

Fresh roots. Fresh leaves.

Water 80.58 90.94

Nitrogenous matters 1.72 1.01

Non-nitrogenous substances 16.39 6.63

Ash 1.31 1.42

------ ------

100.00 100.00

_Yarrow_ (_Achillaea millefolium_) is usually regarded as a weed, but

sheep are very fond of it, and when they can get it, never fail to eat

it greedily. It possesses astringent properties. Some writers have

recommended it as a good crop for warrens and sands. Its composition,

according to Way, is as follows:--

DRIED YARROW.

Albuminous matter 10.34

Fatty matters 2.51

Starch, gum, &c. 45.46

Woody fibre 32.69

Mineral matter 9.00

------

100.00

_Melons_ and _Marrows_ have been used, but to a very limited extent, as

food for stock. Mr. Blundell advocates their use in seasons of drought.

He states that he has obtained more than forty tons per acre of both

melons and marrows. They are relished by horses, oxen, sheep, and pigs.

Mr. Blundell's advocacy has not been attended with much success, but it

would be desirable to give these vegetables a further trial.

Dr. Voelcker's analysis of the cattle melon shows that it contains:--

Water 92.98

Albuminous matters 1.53

Oil .73

Sugar, gum, &c. 2.51

Fibre 1.65

Ash .60

------

100.00

_The Cabbage._--The composition of the Drumhead Cabbage has been studied

by Dr. Anderson. He found a larger proportion of nutriment in the outer

leaves than in the "heart," and ascertained that the young plants were

richer in nutriment than those more advanced in age. His results show

the desirability of cultivating the open-leaved, rather than the compact

varieties of this plant.

ANALYSIS OF THE CABBAGE.--BY DR. ANDERSON.

Outer leaves. Heart leaves.

Water 91.08 94.48

Compounds containing nitrogen 1.63 0.94

Compounds destitute of nitrogen,

such as gum, sugar, fibre, &c. 5.06 4.08

Ash (mineral matter) 2.23 0.50

------ ------

100.00 100.00

According to Fromberg, the composition of the whole plant is as

follows:--

Water 93.40

Nitrogenous, or flesh-forming compounds 1.75

Non-nitrogenous substances such as gum, sugar, &c. 4.05

Mineral matter 0.80

------

100.00

Dr. Voelcker, who has more recently analysed the cattle cabbage,

furnishes us with the following details of its composition:--

COMPOSITION OF CABBAGE LEAVES (OUTSIDE GREEN LEAVES).

Water 83.72

Dry matter 16.28

------

100.00

The fresh and the dry matter consisted of:--

Fresh Dry matter.

Matter. Per cent.

[*] Protein compounds 1.65 10.19

Non-nitrogenous matter 13.38 82.10

Mineral matter 1.25 7.71

----- ------

16.28 100.00

[* Containing nitrogen .26 1.63]

In the following table the results of a more elaborate analysis of the

_heart_ and inner leaves are shown:--

COMPOSITION OF HEART AND INNER LEAVES.

In natural state. Dry.

Water 89.42

Oil .08 .75

[*] Soluble protein compounds 1.19 11.24

Sugar, digestible fibres, &c. 7.01 66.25

Soluble mineral matter .73 6.89

[+] Insoluble protein compounds .31 2.93

Woody fibre 1.14 10.77

Insoluble mineral matter .12 1.17

------ ------

100.00 100.00

[* Containing nitrogen .19 1.79]

[+ Containing nitrogen .05 .47]

If I were asked what plant I considered the most valuable for forage,

I certainly should pronounce an opinion in favor of cabbage. This crop

yields a much greater return than that afforded by the Swedish turnip,

and it is richer in nutritive matter. Cabbages are greedily eaten by

sheep and cattle, and the butter of cows fed upon them is quite free

from the disagreeable flavor which it so often possesses when the food

of the animal is chiefly composed of turnips. If the cabbage admitted of

storing, no more valuable crop could be cultivated as food for stock.

Mr. John M'Laren, of Inchture, Scotland, gives in the "Transactions of

the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland for 1857," a report on the

feeding value of cabbage, which is highly favorable to that plant:--

On the 1st December, 1855 (says the reporter), two lots of

Leicester wethers, bred on the farm, and previously fed alike,

each lot containing ten sheep, were selected for the trial by

competent judges, and weighed. Both lots were put into a field

of well-sheltered old lea, having a division between them. All

the food was cut and given them in troughs, three times a day.

They had also a constant supply of hay in racks.

At the end of the trial, on the 1st of March, 1856, the sheep

were all re-weighed, sent to the Edinburgh market, and sold same

day, but in their separate lots. As I had no opportunity of

getting the dead weights, I requested Mr. Swan, the salesman, to

give his opinion on their respective qualities. This was to the

effect that no difference existed in their market value, but that

the sheep fed on turnips would turn out the best quality of mutton,

with most profit for the butcher. Both lots were sold at the same

price, viz., 52s. 6d. During the three months of trial, we found

that each lot consumed about the same weight of food--viz., 8 tons

13 cwt. 47 lb. of cabbage, being at the rate of 21-1/3 lbs. per day

for each sheep, and 8 tons 10 cwt. 7 lb. Swedes, being at the rate

of 20-9/10 lb. per day.

It will be seen, by referring to the table (see next page), that in

this trial the Swede has proved of higher value for feeding purposes

than the cabbage, making 11 st. 4 lb. of gain in weight, whilst the

cabbage made 10 st. 9 lb. At the same time, 3 cwt. 40 lb. less food

were consumed; and taking the mutton gained at 6d. per lb., the

Swedes consumed become worth 9s. 3-1/4d. per ton, while the gain on

the cabbage, at the same rate, makes them worth 8s. 7d. per ton.

But from the great additional weight of the one crop grown over the

other, the balance, at the prices, c., mentioned, is in favor of the

cabbage by L1 15s. 11-3/4d. per acre.

These results certainly speak strongly in favor of the cabbage; but the

weight of the acreable crop of cabbages stated in the table appears to

be unusually great. So heavy a crop is rarely obtained.

_Furze_ (_Gorse, or Whins_).--Notwithstanding the natural historical

knowledge of Goldsmith, his poetical description of the furze is far

from accurate. This plant, instead of being "unprofitably gay," deserves

to rank amongst the most valuable vegetables cultivated for the use of

the domestic animals. It grows and flourishes under conditions which

most injuriously affect almost every other kind of fodder and green

crop. Prolonged drought in spring and early summer not unfrequently

renders the hay crop a scanty one; while autumn and winter frosts change

the nutriment of the mangels and turnips into decaying and unwholesome

matter. Under such circumstances as these, the maintenance of cattle in

good condition is very expensive, unless in places where a supply of

furze is available. This plant is rather improved than otherwise by

exposure to a temperature which would speedily destroy a mangel or a

turnip; and, although it thrives best when abundantly supplied with

rain, it can survive an exceedingly prolonged drought without sustaining

much injury.

TABLE

SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE OF WEIGHT GROWN ON AN ACRE OF CABBAGE AND AN

ACRE OF SWEDES, AND THE VALUE OF EACH FOR FEEDING.

+-----+-------+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------------+--------+

| Of | | of | of | | Gain | of Food | Value |

|Lot. | | 1855. | 1856. | |per lb. | by each lot. | Ton. |

+-----+-------+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------------+--------+

| 10 |Cabbage| 90 10 | 101 5 | 10 9 | 3 14 6 | 8 13 47 |8 7 |

| | | | | | | | |

| 10 |Swedes | 89 3 | 100 7 | 11 4 | 3 19 0 | 8 10 7 |9 3-1/4|

+-----+-------+---------+---------+--------+--------+--------------+--------+

+-----+-------+----------+------------+----------+-------------+------------+

| No. | | Total | | | | |

| In | of | Acre | Crop | each Crop| of each | of |

+-----+-------+----------+------------+----------+-------------+------------+

| | |tons. cwt.| L s. d. | L s. d.| L s. d. | L s. d. |

| 10 |Cabbage| 42 14 | 18 6 6 | 4 10 11 | 13 15 7 | |

| | | | | | | 1 15 11-3/4|

| 10 |Swedes | 26 12 | 12 6 7-1/4| 0 7 0 | 11 19 7-1/4 | |

+-----+-------+----------+------------+----------+-------------+------------+

The furze is a member of the family _Leguminosae_, which includes so many

useful plants, such as, for example, the pea, the bean, and the clovers.

There are three varieties of it met with in this country--namely, the

common furze, _Ulex europaeus_, the dwarf furze, _Ulex nanus_, and the

Irish, or upright furze, _Ulex strictus_.

The common furze is a hardy shrub, and grows luxuriantly at an elevation

far higher than the limits of cereal cultivation. It flourishes on any

kind of soil which is moderately dry, and heavy crops may easily be

raised on uplands almost incapable of producing grass. The dwarf furze

is never cultivated, but as it grows at a still greater elevation, and

on a poorer soil than the larger varieties, it might be profitably

cultivated on very high uplands. The Irish furze yields a softer and

less prickly food than the other kinds, but as it does not usually bear

seed, and must therefore be propagated by cuttings, its cultivation has

hitherto been limited to but a few localities.

The produce of an acre of furze appears to be at least equal to that

of an acre of good meadow. The Rev. Mr. Townsend of Aghada, county of

Cork--the most zealous and successful advocate for the cultivation of

this plant--informed me that he had obtained so much as 14 tons per

acre; a fact which proves that the furze is a plant which is well

deserving of the attention of the farmer.

Furze is an excellent food for every kind of stock. Cattle, although

they may at first appear not to relish its prickly shoots, soon acquire

a fondness for it. I have known several instances of herds being fed

almost if not entirely on the bruised plant, and to keep in good

condition. The late Professor Murphy, of Cork, stated that on the farm

of Mr. Boulger, near Mallow, thirty-five cows were fed on crushed furze,

which they "devoured voraciously." Each animal received daily from four

to six stones of the crushed plant, to which were added a little turnip

pulp and a small quantity of oats. The milk and butter yielded by these

cows were considered excellent. In a letter addressed to me by a very

intelligent feeder, Mr. John Walsh,[28] of Stedalt, county of Dublin,

the following remarks in relation to this subject are made:--

I had lately an opportunity of seeing a herd of cattle of about

sixty head, of which twenty had been fed with furze prepared with

my machine for about six weeks before being put out to grass. The

condition of these was so superior that I pointed out every one of

them, one after the other, out of the herd. The owner of the cattle

had made the same observation; it was new to him but not to me.

Furze is seldom given to sheep or pigs, but I believe that it might with

advantage enter into the dietary of those animals. Some of my friends

who have lately tried it with pigs report favorably as to its effects.

Horses partly fed upon this plant keep in good condition; it is usually

given to them cut merely into lengths of half an inch or an inch, but it

would be better to give it to them finely bruised. A horse during the

night will eat a much larger quantity of coarsely cut furze than of the

well bruised article, because he is obliged to expend a great deal of

muscular power in bruising the furze, and must, consequently, use an

additional quantity of the food to make up for the corresponding waste

of tissue.

Until quite recently, the chemistry of the furze was very little

studied. The analysis of this plant made many years ago by Sprengel

gave results which, in the present advanced condition of agricultural

chemistry, are quite valueless. The late Professor Johnston merely

determined its amount of water, organic matter, and ash. I believe I was

the first to make a complete investigation into the composition of this

plant according to the methods of modern chemical analysis. I made two

examinations. The first was of shoots cut on the 25th April, 1860, on

the lands of Mr. Walsh of Stedalt, near Balbriggan, in the county of

Dublin. The shoots were, in great part, composed of that year's growth,

with a small proportion of the shoots of the previous year. They were

very moist, and their spines, or thorns, were rather soft. Their

centesimal composition was as follows:--

Water 78.05

Nitrogenous, or flesh-forming principles 2.18

Fat-forming principles (oil, starch, sugar, gum, &c.) 8.20

Woody fibre 10.17

Mineral matter (ash) 1.40

------

100.00

The second analysis was made of furze cut on the 15th August, 1862.

The following were the results obtained:--

Water 72.00

Nitrogenous, or flesh-forming principles 3.21

Oil 1.18

Other fat-forming principles (starch, gum, &c.) 8.20

Woody fibre 13.33

Mineral matter 2.08

------

100.00

The specimen was allowed to lie for a few days in a dry room, so that

it lost a little water whilst in my possession, before it was subjected

to analysis.

The sample cut in August contained a larger amount of nutriment than

the specimen analysed in the spring; but its constituents appeared to

be much less soluble in water, and therefore, less digestible.

Professor Blyth, of the Queen's College, Cork, has more recently made

a very elaborate analysis of furze, grown in the county of Cork, which

gave results still more favorable to the plant than those arrived at

by me--probably because the specimens furnished to him were drier than

mine.

ANALYSIS OF FRESH FURZE, BY DR. BLYTH.

100 parts contain:--

_Matters readily soluble in water and easily digested._

[*] Albuminous, or flesh-forming compounds 1.68

Fat and heat-producing, or respiratory elements,

viz., sugar, gum, &c. &c. 7.83

Ash 0.83

-----

Total matters soluble in water 10.34

[* Containing nitrogen 0.265]

_Matters insoluble in water._

Oil 2.14

[+] Albuminous, or flesh-producing compounds 2.83

Fat and heat-producing, or respiratory elements 1.00

Woody fibre 28.80

Ash 3.23

-----

Total matters insoluble in water 38.00

Water, expelled at 212 51.50

-----

99.48

Total nitrogen in plant 0.71

Total albuminous, or flesh-producing compounds 4.51

Total respiratory, or heat and fat-producing compounds 8.83

Total ash 4.06

The ash contains in 100 parts:--

Potash 20.00

Phosphoric acid 8.72

[+ Containing nitrogen 0.445]

If the large per-centage of water be deducted, the dry, nutritive

matters can then be more readily compared with the amount of the same

substances in other feeding articles:--

_Composition of 100 parts of furze dried at 212 deg.. Matters soluble in

water in the dry furze._

[*] Albuminous compounds 3.47

Respiratory elements 16.15

Ash 1.71

------

Total matters soluble in water 21.33

[* Containing nitrogen 0.546]

_Matters insoluble in water in the dry furze._

Oil 4.41

[+] Albuminous compounds 5.84

Respiratory elements 2.06

Woody fibre 59.38

Ash 6.66

------

Total matters insoluble in water 78.35

-----

99.68

Total nitrogen in dry furze 1.46

Total albuminous compounds 9.13

Total respiratory elements 18.20

Total ash 8.36

[+ Containing nitrogen 0.917]

_Composition of ash per cent._

Potash 20.00

Phosphoric Acid. 8.72

The results of these analyses show that dry furze contains an amount

of nutriment equal to that found in dry grass. The nature of its

composition resembles, as might be expected, that of its allied plants,

vetches, &c., and therefore it exceeds the grasses in its amount of

ready formed fatty matter.

The Stock-Feeder's Manual the chemistry of food in relation to the breeding and feeding of live stock · 第 3 / 9 章