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ON THE LIVE-STOCK.
raw state, or first manufactured by live-stock. It is there-fore no objection to soiling, though cattle should not bereared or fattened to so great a weight by this mode, as bypasturage. It is enough, if a greater value of beef shall beobtained from a given quantity of food consumed in thisway; which must be determined by further experiments.
2. The usual food of fattening cattle in winter is turnips,white, yellow, and Swedish, in succession, with straw. Hayis seldom allowed, unless when turnips have lost their nutri-tive qualities, towards the end of the spring months, or arealtogether consumed. Potatoes are not extensively used infattening. Oil-cake and corn have been occasionally em-ployed for the purpose of bringing a few animals to an ex-traordinary weight or excessive fatness, but they are neitherrequired, and unless cheap, ought not to be generally admittedin the economical system of Scottish husbandry. The grainsand dreg of distilleries, at a distance from towns, are also em-ployed in fattening cattle ; and when they are prohibited towork from grain, a scarcity of beef, in the spring months, isalways felt in those districts where the soil does not permitthe extensive cultivation of turnips.
These then are the materials from which beef is producedin Scotland . The next consideration regards the cattleemployed as the instrument; how they are managed; andwhat returns they usually make.
I. Of the varieties that have been mentioned, the High-land breed, including that of the north-eastern counties, isby far the most numerous, and the best suited to the me-dium pastures of the country. About one-fortieth part onlyof the Galloway bullocks and heifer* is fattened at home.All the mixed breeds of the Lowlands, are either fattenedfor home consumption, or sent to England, nearly fat; agreat many to Morpeth and other markets in the north ofEngland, fully ready for the butcher. The greater number ofthe Fife breed, are fattened and consumed in that county, or