Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1877 — Change of Food for stock. [ARTICLE]

Change of Food for stock.

It is a well-k3)9wn fact that human be-, iugs cannot long retain 4ieaMi had accustomed vigor if fed oa tha sNifig' of food, no matter how excellent 'll may be. Wheat is the best food, known, as it contains all the elements xyscEssßiV tp form any of the tissues in the'human body. Still it mu&t be cooksd.iQ, varioug ways iu order to be relished any great length of time. Even when unsisaone persons tire of it after a short time unless it is seasoned with condiments of some sort. As a rule, persons will prefer a change to some cheaper article of food rather than to eat continually that prepared from wheat. Ou most tables there is not only a variety of food, liut nearly every article is flavored with spice, pepper, or other condiments. There are also other things, like jellies and' sauces, that are used alone as appetizers. Various sorts of drinks are also used for the same purpose. In short, cookery requires a constant study of the varying appetites of men. Now, domestic animals do not differ essentially from human beings in the matter of requiring a change of food., When free to reek the thing* they want to eat, they will select as great a variety.as uu-‘ man beings do- As the Ipicure will sometimes leave green tqrtki iw a red herring, so the cow will run from a blueK pasture to get a bit of old 'haj* p that are in the best tits jpastures%iU leave the richest grasses to fefed On weeds and bushes. Hogs are very fond of a change of food, and if nothing but corn is offered them will devour earth, or gnaw the wood of the pens in which they are confined. Farmers who limit their stock to what they consider the best sorts of food commit a very grave error. No sort of food is the best if its use is continued a great length of time. Cows will tire of hay as mein tire of raised bread made from wheat flour. If a change of fboals not afforded them, much of the hay will pass through them undigested, ana they will fall off iu condition and in the supply of milk. The introduction of a ration of roots has had an exceedingly good effect on the stock in Great Britain, This comity it not as well adapted but every American farmer cant furnisli his stock with other kinds of food during winter than hay, straw awf griin. Pompkins and squashes grow netter hefoa than in England, and may be presorted Till near spring. Apples are very plenty this ‘season,- ana are WOfth ihote to Teeu to stock than they are bringing at the cidermill. An occasional feeding of oil-cake is relished by stock, and greatly improves their condition. An acre in cabbages, which can be kept all winter, will furnish several tons of fresh food which will be eaten with relish and profit by cows and sheep. If farmers would study to produce a greater variety of stock food as? keeping animals than they now do.—Chicago Timet.