Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-12


The unusual attention drawn to this
subject of late, by experiments, discus
sions. and essays, has induced a corres-
nopdent of the Rural NeiO Yorker to
prepare a brief resume of the whole
question, than which there is none more
important to the farmer.
SELECTION OF FOOD.
Very little attention has been given by
the practical feeder TO the selection Of food
10 produce a certain result. The breeder
should be well versed in the chemical
qualities Of foods, and Of their adaptation
to build up the various parts of the am
mai. The trainers Of celebrated pedes-
trians and pugilists understand this matter
much better than the farmer. Weston, on
his great walk TO Chicago, is permitted 10
eat little else than beefsteak, chicken, eggs,
etc, or what will give strength and endu-
rance to the muscles. The race horse is
fed on oat meal and eggs for the same pur-
pose. The laborer who has constant strain
upon the muscles, requires diet contain
ing much heterogeneous or muscle-lorming
matter. such as lean meat, beans, cheese,
etc The English and Scotch laborers are
able 10 endure great fatigue on bread and
cheese, because cheese IS composed prln-
cipally Of casein or muscle~forming food.
And when rearing young animals, we de-
sire 10 expand the frame and muscular
system rather than TO Jay on fat, we should
select a food for that purpose rich IN
gluten or its equivalent. For de-
veloping the muscular system, foods are
valuable in proportion 10 their amount
Of nitrogenous matter. And oil THIS,
corn and rye contain IL per cent;
oat-meal and wheat bran Is per cent; OIL
meal, peas and beans % to % per cent;
wheat straw 3, corn fodder 8, meadow hay
IL, pea straw H. and bean straw 10 per
cent This is only hesh-forming matter.
Of heat and fat-producing matter, these
foods contain: Corn 70, rye, SO, oats 73,
wheat bran GO, oil meal 81, peas and beans
50, meadow hay 90, wheat straw and corn
fodder 50, bean straw 33, and pea straw 40
per cent.
This shows how TO mix an appropriate
food for young animals. Even the wheat
straw, containing only per cent. of flesh
forming matter, possesses SO per cent OF
nutriment, and when mixed with bran IN
the proportion of two quarts to the bushel
of straw, makes food on which animals
will grow rapidly. 1t will be observed
that oil meal, peas and beans are very de-
sirable food for developing the flesh, and
as they possess large proportion of phos-
phate Of lime, will also furnish material for
the bones The iegumin of the pea and
bean, and the casein Of the oil-bearing
seeds, are identical with the casein OF
milk. This is an important fact as it shows
the propriety of feeding pea, bean and oil
meal TO COWS TO increase the production Of
milk. We have found from experiment
that pea meal is, practically, more valuable
when fed alone in producing milk than oil
meal. but the best result wzs produced from
mixing equal weights of oil and pea meal
and two proportions Of bran. This blends
all the qualities requisite for the best feed
for mich cows. That food which will pro-
dece the best quality of milk, will also
develop the young animal into the finest
proportions.
Corn meal contains so large proportion
of starch, which goes to keep up the ami
NAL heat and produce fat, that il shclld
be used for the purpose Of fattening ani-
mails rather than to produce milk or grow
the young animal. We have found it
much inferior to peas or oil meal or bran
that pea and bean straw and corn fodder
possess too much nutriment TO be neglected.
When mixed with more concentrated food
and steamed, they make an excellent sub
stitute for hay. To feed with coarse fod-
der, the carrot, beet, parsnip and turnip
make excellent winter food.
But the successful stock feeder, while
Studying the chemical composition of the
various kinds Of food as important sugges-
tons. will, nevertheless, depend only upon
practical results to guide him. 1t is not
difficult nor expensive 70 bring all these
foods, or those he can conveniently obtain,
TO the test of actual comparative expert
ment upon his own premises.
CUTTING.
Upon the subject Of cutting the food of
animals there are still different opinions,
INIT we have vet to find one who has made
a thorough experiment and not found il
beneficial. When we reaect that herbiv-
erous animals in a state of nature crop only
green succulent food, and that we have sub
iected chem TO the use Of dry, woody fiber,
il is only reasonable that we should assist
them in its mastication. We can by no
method Of cutting and cooking render hay,
straw and coarse fodder more soft aud sue
culent than green grass. We are in no
danger Of outdoing nature in that respect.
And if il is beneficial to cut fodder, il is
beneficial Just in proportion TO the minute.
ness of the division. We cannot cut it too
fine. We need a machine 10 mash the
fibre as we'll as cut it. This is the i'm
proyement vet to be made in straw cutters.
Most Of the machines cut from one'half TO
one inch and a half in length. This Is
like cracking corn and other grain and
calling it meal. Grain is ground too coarse
and hay and straw are cut too long. We
cut corn stalks one-sighth and hay and
straw One-ouarteE Of an inch, and would
cut finer ii we could. IL may be cut thu:
fine, at the rate Of one ton in one and 8
half hours, with q two>horse power. IL is
unwise TO cut by hand for more than few
animals. No machine should be usei
which has not perfect working feed rolls
TO deliver the hay with regularity to the
knives.
But there is another important argu
meut in favor Of cutting; that it enables
the feeder to mix food of different qualities
and value-hay and straw, corn fodder and
hay, pea straw and hay, good and poor hay
etc.-thus saving all and many times pay
ing the expense of cutting. And besides
il renders il easy 10 mix meal, bran, roots
etc. with the coarse fodder for any pur
pose desired.