Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-09-19

Economy i'm Fattening Animals.
At this season the attention of the farmer
is often directed to the lattenng of those an
imals which are intended for the butcher;
and it is important for him to know how he
may turn such articles Of food as he may have
on hand TO the best account. Several artl-
cles, such as pumpkins and arples, will not
keep long, and are to be used in their sea-
son, II a; all. The least nutritious articles,
so lar as it can be done conveniently, should
oe ied out first; afterwards those that are
more nutrltive. Fauening animals should
be Kept quiet, and suffered to take no more
exercise than rs necessary for their health
All exercise, more than This, calls for an ex-
pendHure oi food, which does no. avail aBy
thing IN the process of ialteniDg. Tbey
should be fed regularly, with suitable food.
and that properly prepared, and as much
should be given them they are able To
convert into flesh and fat, without waste
In the animal economy, the accumulation of
fat and extra flesh, is only deposit Of su-
perfluous nutriment; which not being re.
quired by the system at one time, is laid by
Tor tutnre emergencies; and il must be OBJ
vous that The larger the quantity of food
which iattcning animal can be made to
consume daily, with good appetite or to
digest thoroughly. the greaScr will be the
amount ol lesh and fat gained in proportion
TO the whole quantity Of food consumed
Animals will not thrive with any amount of
food where they are uneasy and discon-
tented, even ifthey are so closely confined
that they cannot wear off their flesh by exer-
else II is, therefore important that they be
led regularly, and there should be nothing TO
disturb, or excite fear or discomfort. OF the
root crops, for nutritive properties potatoes
stand first; then carrots, ruta bagas, man
Sod-wortzels, which are nearly as valuable
as potatoes; while the English turnip is the
least valuable and nutritious. OF grain,
wheat stands first, then peas Indian corn,
barley, and last oats. Much Indian corn is
used in fattening-e especially swine. For
these there is undoubtedly a great gain in
having il both ground and cooked. 1t is
said that where swine are fed on mush or
hasty-pudding, they are much more quiet,
and consequently gain flesh much faster,
fhan where The same ingredients arc fed 10
them uncooked.
The following hints on this subject. from
that valuable agricultural. the Albany Cult
rGtor, will be found Of interest:
Substances in which The mntriment is
much concentrated should be led with care.
is first put TO feed, that more may ee eaten
at once than the digestive organs can man
age. Meal OF Indian corn is highly nutritive
and when properly fed causes animals to
iaten faster than almost any other food
They will NOT, however, bear 10 he exclusive
ly kept on tins article for a great length of
time. Meal made from the heaviest varieties
of corn. especially thai from the hard fiinty
kinds grown in the Northern and Eastern
States, is quite too strong tood for cattle,
sheep, or horses 10 be lull>ted upon. Hence
one Of the advantages Of having the cob
! ground with the corn, by which the nutri-
nent is dflused through greater bulk, lays
| lighter in the stomach, and is more thorough
! " disested The effect Of pure corn meal
on animals, we suppose to be similar to that
sometimes produced on our own species by
| the use of fine wheaton tiOur-the subject
becomes dlyspeptic and is forced TO use bread
! which has the bran mixed with flour. The
1 mixture of the cob with the meal answers
the purpose of the bran-lhe health of the
animal is preserved, and The process Of di-
| gestlon goes OH unlnterruptedly. In fact the
advantages of grinding the cob and corn TO-
gether Cor .cedug cattle may be said to be
well established. For hogs. the benefit of
| the cob is not, we think, so evident; those
animals appearing TO be better adapted for
taking their nourishment in u concentrated
form, than those which ruminate, or chew
the cud. Yet food sufficiently bulky TO effect
dis,ension Of the bowels is necessary for
hogs. Hay or straw, cit into lengths so
| short as 10 be readily mixed with meal, an
| swers good purpose IN rendering the meal
easy OF digestion, and in enabling The animal
10 extract from it all the nutriment. The
conclusion arrived al from the result of Sc
ries of experiments Instituted by the High
land Society Of Scotland, few years ago,
was, that the superiority of cooked over I'M
cooked food for cattle is but triiiing, and not
sufficient TO balance the cost but Tor hogs.
the extra cost of preparation was repaid.
The appetite and health Of animals are
promoted by giving variety flood. This
fact has led 10 the preparations for fattening
stock. For fattening hogs. we have used
with advantage the following mixtures Il.
Two parts of potatoes and two parts pump
| kins; boil together until they caa be easily
mashed fine-then add one parl meal stir
ring and mixing intimately together The
heat Of the potatoes and pumpkins will scald
or cook the meal and when cold, the mix
ture will be stiff pudding. 2. Two parts
potatoes, and two of ripe, palarable apples,
! (either sweet or sourl boil till they can be
mashed fne-lhen add one part meal, (eith-
er from corn, barley, or oats and peas, al
lowing the same weights,) and mix together
while the potatoes and apples are hot.
Hogs are more fond of food when it has
Slightly termenIed mot becoming pungenty
souri, and they appear to faten faster if it is
fed to them in this state. We have never
seen hogs thrive faster than when fed on
these mixtures, with occasionally little dl-
ary slop, and we have always found the pork
solid aud Of good quality.