The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-11-22
for tbe farmers.
Apples for Stock.

The question, care common apples posses
sed of any value as a food for stock 2 is one
which is frequently propounded by men who
profess to have been close observers and to
have made many accurate experiments in order
to solve this question:. Not long since heard
an old farmer assert it as his "fxed belief,
that the common English turnip was devoid of
Matrimonial properties, and that an animal fed
exclusively upon the uncouked root would live
about as long as if kept exclusively on water"
1t is verycertan-and no reasonable man,
presume, will attempt to controvert the qucs
tionEthat many experiments which are insti-
tuted for the best purposes aud with laudable
designs, result untavorabIy in consequence Of
the careless manner i'll which they are conduct
ed. 4 single experiment is often permitted to
decide the fate of the article submitted to the
test, whereas, whether the result be or not in
accordance with our preconceived opinions, no
".fred opinion" should be allowed to take pos.
session of our minds, until the result obtained
in the first case has been confirmed by subse
quent similar results. 10 proceed in such an
off hand manner is nothing short of the most
shameless abuse Of that reason which heaven
has benefcently conferred upon us to direct us,
and whoever adopts it: therefore virtually ab.
rogates his right to think or judge.
:. Payne Wingate, Esq, of Hallowel, Maine,
man of ready discrimination and great enter
prise in carrying forward the work Of agricul-
tural improvement in all its various phases and
forms instituted series of experiments in or.
der to solve the very question to which we have
referred in our opening remarks viz: the value
of apples as food for stock. His method was
Z this two pigs of the same litter, and as near
as practicable Of the same weight were taken,
and one of them fed for il week on cooked 20
tatoes, the other on'aprles-the same q"aMiity
of food being allowed to each at the end of the
week both pigs were accurately weighed, and
their respective weights, and tic difference
noted. The feed was then reversed the pig
which had, during the first week been fed on
potatoes received apples and vice rersa, and so
on alternately for several weeks, the result was
that the apples appeared to be fully equal to
the potatoes, and Mr. Winga,c says 'ittlc
superior" The apples were sweet and both
they and the potatoes were nearly all quite
ripe. That sweet apples fed raw arc preferable
to sour ones, seems to be Il reasonable con-
clusion and it is one, believe which is demon.
strated by experience, to be perfectly correct;
but in some very accurate experiments made
BY the gentleman above referred to Cor the pur-
pose Of the relative value of sweet and sour
apples when cooked, ii was a>rrriained that
wien boiled and mixed with al equal quantity
of meal, from the same bag the sweet apples
no longer hold their Claim to prcltrcacc
We have known apples fed raw to horses,
cnws, sheep, and other stock, during the winter,
with very favorable results No doubt where
large quantities are to be fed, sweet apples
would he found superior to sour ones, fed in
this way. A peck Of apples, per day, fed to a
COW, has been known to add more than quart
to the daily supply of milk, besides increasing
its richness. and the condition Of the animal in
regard to flesh.
Such facts are not without their value to the
farmer In many cases where apples are rails.
ed for the market, there are many small and
wormy ones which are unsacablc; and the
same is the case not nnfrcqucntv where the
manufacture Of prime ci"r is car, led on. The
imperfect portion Of fruit tn" orchard produces
it is often found difficult t" ii, pose Of crnnom.
ira!ty, as the refuse apples are no, sn"ahlc,
and should be rejected at the mill. Itv cook
ing aud feeding them to animrls. mixed with II
lirtlc meal, or = few hamdu!Is of shorts, they
may be turned to good advania." on every
farm.-Cor. Ge'mamhorn 7eegr"rh.
PLowI2G AND MASuRING At the recent Az
ricuItural fair at Hampstead, Long island pro.
E.ssor Mares said:
Tfl;,,h f,rnirtr rnI a. 4