AS FOOD FOR CATTLE AND SHEEP. 



295 



of their solid matter which is nourishing, could not do stock the 

 amount of good which it does. But this is unquestionably an 

 erroneous impression,forthe analysis would be a very defective one, 

 and consequently be misleading, if the liquid called in analysts' 

 reports water, were anything different from ordinary water. In 

 regard to this point, Mr Jamieson says, in his report to the 

 Aberdeenshire Agricultural Association for 1877-78 (p. 24), 

 " It may safely be said that water and fibre do not add to the 

 nourishing value of the turnip." 



Having seen that 90 per cent, of an average swede is com- 

 posed of water, let us next inquire what are the constituent 

 elements in the remaining 10 per cent. ? Speaking in general 

 term?, it may be said that not more than two-thirds of it in any 

 case, and generally from one-tenth to one-fifth less than that 

 proportion, is composed of nourishing feeding properties. 

 About one-third of this 10 per cent, is what chemists call 

 " woody fibre," in which there is no more nourishment than 

 there is in a piece of pulped wood or in raw cotton. Only from 

 5 to 5^ per cent, of the whole turnip consists of flesh-forming, 

 heat-producing, and fattening properties. We have constructed 

 the following table to show an approximate estimate of the 

 weight of water and other substances partaken of by cattle, 

 according as they are each fed daily upon 2 cwt., 1-| cwt., 

 1 cwt., and | cwt. of turnips respectively : — 



Tahle slioicing Composition of Averarje Swede in Dcdly Allowances 



given to Cattle. 



'I'he largest size of half-bred lambs (between Cheviot ewe and 

 Leicester ur Lincoln ram), when fed upon turnips alone, will 

 consume about oO lbs. or thereby daily, while secondary lambs 

 of this class will eat upwards of L!0 lbs. in twenty-four hours. 

 Of tlie t'ornier quantity, 27 lbs. are pure water, about 1 lb. 

 woody fibre, about \ lb. mineral ash, etc., and only H lb. heat- 

 producing, fattening, and Uesh-forming matter. When a sheep 



