8 



to the digestible carbohydrates and divide this sum by the digestlihe 

 lyrotein. — A nutritive ratio shows how many equivalents of diges- 

 tible carbohydrates there are for one of digestible protein. The 

 greater the number of these carbohydrate equivalents for one of 

 protein the wider the nutritive ratio, and the fewer the number the 

 narrower the nutritive ratio. Hence we use the terms " wide " and 

 " narrow " nutritive ratios. 



If a farmer has tables showing the composition of the different 

 food-stuffs and their content of digestible nutrients, he can figure 

 out the nutritive ratio for himself. 



The Cornell Bulletin No. 154 contains such information, and it 

 will be sent to applicants. 



Lesson No. 8, soon to follow, will continue this subject. 



Reading - Lessons : 



1. The soil : What it is. 



2. Tillage and under drainage : Reasons why. 



3. Lertility of the soil : What it is. 



4. ILow the plant gets its food from the soil. 



5. How the plant gets its food from the air. 



6. The problem of depleted lands. {Bull. 17 J^.) 



7. Balanced rations for stock. 



L. H. BAILEY, 



Chief of Farmers'' Reading -Course. 



JOHN W. SPENCER, 



Deputy Chief., 

 Cornell University, Ltnaca, N. Y. 



544 



