Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

tax-in which, doubtless, the temperance world would zealously support them!

It may perhaps be said, that the course of argument I have adopted is in part at least theoretical, and that fact must be preferred to mere philosophy! The numerous recent applications of Farmers to government for permission to malt barley and other grains, free, in order to fatten cattle, proves the existence of a strong prejudice in favour of the malting system, which is found to operate injuriously against the temperance cause. It is evidently fancied that there are some facts not altogether reconcileable with the teetotal theory. But I unhesitatingly affirm the fallacy of this farmer's faith, and challenge the production of a single fact which is not perfectly explicable upon the principles of the temperance Philosophy. True Philosophy is but the exponent of Fact; the two are not distinct but identical, and must therefore confirm and illustrate each other.

Now it happens in this case, that within a short period, we have been enabled to establish the truth of our theories,' by a series of most conclusive and carefully conducted EXPERIMENTS-experiments instituted by Government, with the view of ascertaining the comparative value of Malt and Barley in the feeding of Cattle and the production of Milk and Butter. The experiments were made under the direction of THOMAS THOMSON, M.D., Professor of Chemistry, and R. D. THOMSON, M.D., Teacher of Practical Chemistry, in the University of Glasgow, and have been published as a Parliamentary Report. The substance of them, as they bear more immediately upon the present discussion, I will now give.

FEEDING EXPERIMENTS.

Two Bullocks were selected for the purpose.

It was found, by some preliminary trials, that when the beasts were confined to an exclusive diet of barley or malt, they soon began to loathe and leave it, thus establishing an old truth, apt to be forgot, that in general variety of food is necessary to health, and that even the most nourishing food, unmixed with a coarser and more bulky sort, is unsuitable to the constitutions of both cattle and men.

The experiments for testing the relative value of malted and unmalted grain, consisted in giving the same quantity and quality of hay, etc., to each bullock, but to one a certain number of lbs. of barley, and to the other an equal weight of malt, both being ground into meal, and mashed. From October 1st to 14th, 1845, the bullock fed on barley increased in weight 109lbs., that fed on malt only 90 lbs.

From November 8th to 22nd, the barley-fed bullock increased in weight 55lbs., the other only 44lbs.

From December 4th to 20th, the barley-fed beast increased 40lbs. in weight, the other only 6lbs.

Thus the Malt-fed beast soon reached its maximum of feeding, while the Barley-fed bullock went on increasing in weight, until it gained 534lbs. over its rival.

These trials, continued for three months,' says Prof. THOMSON, leave no doubt that Barley is superior to Malt, weight for weight, as as fattening bullocks is concerned.'

far

EXPERIMENTS AS TO MILK AND BUTTER.

The Report of R. D. THOMSON, as to the relative effect of Barley and

Malt on the Milk of two excellent Ayrshire Cows, confirms all our preceding statements.

It was found that about 91bs. of grain per day, invariably produced more milk than a greater quantity, showing that only a certain proportion of concentrated or rich food should be used. Variety of food also contributed to increase the amount of milk.

In one case, when entire barley, merely steeped, was given, the milk decreased. This arose from a quantity of the barley being ejected without being digested;—the malt, being much more soluble, was not ejected.' Thus we perceive, that the fact of which we have heard so much, that malt feeds faster than barley,' weight for weight, merely comes to this--that digested Malt feeds faster than undigested Barley! This single fact, misunderstood, is a notable instance of fallacy.

In a brown cow,' says Dr. THOMSON, 100lbs. of barley produced as much effect as 131lbs. of malt: in a white cow, 100lbs. of barley were equivalent to 119lbs. of malt.'

But as 100 parts of Barley make only 80 parts of Malt, it follows, that 100lbs. of barley are equal in use to 125ĺbs. of malt; for as 80 is to 100, so is 100 to 125.

Dr. THOMSON is equally clear concerning the Butter yielded by the Milk in the two cases. 'The largest amount of butter was afforded in the brown cow by crushed BARLEY. With both animals MALT is lowest in the scale.'

The following is a correct view of the result in relation to the milk and butter.

100lbs. of Barley produce 34.6lbs. dry milk: and 7.66lbs. butter.
100lbs. of Malt

[ocr errors]

26.2lbs.

[ocr errors]

GENERAL RESULTS.

and 6.35lbs.

[ocr errors]

Not only was the quantity of solid matter in the milk diminished, but its quality was deteriorated. The Soluble Salts, I have already stated, are lessened by malting, and hence the milk cannot contain what the food has not introduced. The Caseine (cheese) was also greatly lessened. The cheese principle was decreased, because it is a flesh-forming substance, containing azote, of which the average amount in barley is 2 per cent., but in malt only 1:-the Butter was lessened, because malt contains less carbon than barley.

In addition to all this, the cows were losing weight and strength daily under the Malt regimen, while they gained weight and strength when fed on the Barley. After the barley experiment they were found to be 80lbs. heavier; after the malt-trial, 42lbs. lighter.

Thus it is certain, that in every respect Malt is much inferior to crushed Barley as an article of food for cattle, giving, in the first place, a less quantity of milk and butter; in the second, milk of an inferior quality, deficient in the soluble salts; and in the third place, diminishing the live-weight of the cattle, where barley increases it.

Taking all items into account, therefore, we may safely affirm, that 100lbs. of barley are equal in nourishing power-i.e. for the full feeding of the flesh or muscle of the animal-to 130lbs. of Malt; or, in other words, that more than a third of all the malted-grain in this country is criminally, because needlessly, destroyed!

Indeed, the Malting-system, as it presents itself to my mind, is a monstrous machinery of mischief, upheld by ignorance, interest, and

appetite, involving a worse than profligate waste of our national resources, and a vast destruction of the rich gifts of a gracious God.

Were the dark rain-clouds to overshadow the land, hiding the rays of the great Ripener of grain from the teeming fields white unto the harvest -were the rain to deluge the ground and saturate the corn, day after day-what fears would be excited, and what prayers put up to Heaven! For what? That the calamity of a spoiled harvest, the germination of the cut or standing corn, might be averted!

Our prayers are heard: the face of the Sun is uncovered, and his warm and ripening rays rush on their radiant paths, to fulfil their mission of mercy! And now the golden grain is all cut down and gathered into the garner-and what follows? The ripened produce of three millions of acres of land (including barley, oats, and wheat, for the breweries and distilleries together) is cast into the water of the steeping-vat, by the very men who prayed for fine weather, and in order to effect that germination of the corn which their prayers were designed to avert! If, under the direction of a wise Providence, the sprouting of the corn by natural means must still be regarded as a curse and a calamity, how does it forfeit that character (for malting Is sprouting) by becoming an artificial and systematic trade? When the storm is on the sea, and the thunderbolt strikes and fires the majestic merchantman, is it not a calamity? Is it less so, when the hands of pirates apply the blazing torch to the gutted vessel? Nay, in truth, is it not more of a curse than before, since crime is added to calamity?

[ocr errors]

But for what end does this machinery of mischief really work? Not, in truth, for feeding, but for drinking purposes! The malting-system is preliminary to that of brewing the foundation of a manufacture of human misery' vaster and more fearful than any other which ever impeded the improvement, or blasted the prospects, of our People.

On the other hand, however, how vast would be the benefits and blessings attendant upon the rational use and right application of the fruits of the field! What an immense amount of mischief and misery would be swept away! What a measure of goodness secured! What an impetus given to profitable employment and internal commerce! What an impulse to the progress and improvement of the people! In all these blessings the Farmers of Britain would largely participate, and exult in the increased prosperity of their fatherland.

If, then, in the propositions put forth, I have succeeded in making it evident, that the principles of the Temperance Society are founded upon the Philosophy of sound Experiment and accurate Analysis, and their progress in no way opposed to the best interests of Agriculturethat, on the contrary, their practical adoption is necessarily associated with the growing intelligence, industry, and economy of the People, and these virtues with a great and steady demand for the produce of the soil, tending to an increase of its value-I may conclude with expressing my earnest hope, that the importance of this great subject will commend itself favourably to the Farmers of the Empire, and secure their support to a cause second to no human institution whatever, in the happy influence which it is exerting upon the character of our country and the welfare of our kind.

Stereotyped and Printed by J. M. Burton, Ipswich.

F. R. L.

KEEP AWAY

AWAY FROM THE
PUBLIC-HOUSE.

KEEP AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC HOUSE-you will derive no advantage from its Company. There the drunkard holds his detestable revels-there the gambler lures to the waste of property—there the blasphemer utters his impious imprecations there those who are ripe for destruction tempt others to imitate their crimes, and lead the unwary to their ruin.

Fly, oh fly the public-house if you are a father,

For those, whose tears must ceaseless flow-
Whose round of pain each morn renew,
Who-if they dream-but dream of woe,
And wake to find their visions true!

KEEP AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC HOUSE-you will inevitably entail ruin upon your families and yourselves by its certain expense. The money which is thoughtlessly spent upon the gratification of its drunken and pernicious customs is drawn away from the comfort of home, and the respectability and the happiness of those who should be dearer to you than life. Do not say that you spend but a little upon your pleasures :-that little soon amounts to muchthat little, with every repetition of indulgence, becomes more and more- -that little saved would provide education for your children, confer comparative plenty upon your home, and afford a fund for the day of disease and want. At the public-house, the hard-earned fruits of honourable labour are thrown away, and the peace of unoffending families is basely bartered for a senseless, a despicable, and a sinful gratification. Let any man accustom himself to the excesses of a public-house, and want will be in his home, rags will be his clothing, and destruction his end. You never knew a poor man become easy in his circumstances who was addicted to the prodigality of the public-house; but you have known many a rich man, by the orgies of the tavern, reduced to helpless misery, to wretched destitution, to universal contempt, to the workhouse, and to a premature grave. Shun, oh shun the public-house.

Who drinks the soul-destroying draught,

To peace may bid farewell;
For though like nectar it may taste,
Therein doth poison dwell.

KEEP AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC HOUSE-you will get no good by its Liquors. Refreshment, it is true, is necessary for the traveller, food for the hungry, and rest for the weary. But you require no refreshment, no food, no res, which you cannot get very much better than in the house of public entertainment, and in the company of sots. What do you drink in the public-house? Spirits ?-then you are in danger of contracting a habit which, if you do not resolutely, entirely, and for ever break, will terminate in the decay of the body, the ruin of your circumstances, and the damnation of your soula habit which, if continued, will ultimately become hopeless, will bind you in chains far more galling than the meanest and most miserable slave ever wore, and which, without exaggeration, will kindle a flame that will burn to the lowest hell. What do you drink in the publichouse? Ale? It is sometimes drugged-it is generally unwholesome-and, suppose it be neither, you can get in your own house cheap, wholesome, unintoxicating drink, which, with food and rest, is all that is necessary to refresh the body after the exhaustion of labour, accompanied with those domestic and social pleasures which the ale-tap cannot afford you. Look around you, and mark how many in the publichouses have stupified their faculties, imbruted their reason, and have entailed upon themselves cruel diseases, which are hurrying them, with fearful haste, in a state of awful unpreparedness, to the bed of death and the bar of God. Enter not the public-house;

It draws a curse on all that's good,

A gloom o'er all that's bright,
And many a tale of misery
Proclaims that I am right.

KEEP AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC HOUSE-you can obtain no advantage there which you cannot acquire infinitely better without ever crossing its threshold. Do you seek society? What pleasing society, what beneficial conversation, can you have in places which so often resound with the roar of brutal intemperance, with the fiend yells of revolting impiety, and the notes and imprecations of drunken brawls? Do you speak of friendship? Innumerable instances will prove that the friendship which begins in drink, or is cemented by drink, or requires drink to keep it in exercise, is utterly unworthy of the name. That man is not

« ForrigeFortsæt »