730 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-VORK 



Barral states the proportion of the nitrogen which escapes by 

 perspiration as one- third or one-foui'th of that in the food. Bous- 

 singault found that in a cow giving milk there was an escape of 

 13.50 per cent, of the nitrogen, whilst a turtle dove parts with 

 35.04 per cent, of this element. This loss of nitrogen seems 

 hitherto to have been little noticed by practical feeders. It 

 seems possible that this loss may be increased by too liberal a 

 supply of albuminous matter in the food. 



The next experiment was on eight cattle, and commenced 

 March, 1855; the first six weeks after they were tied up, their 

 food consisted of chopped straw, shells of oats, and bean-straw, in 

 about equal proportions; 4 lbs. of rape-cake, 1 lb. bean-meal, J- 

 Ib. linseed, and J lb. wheat ground together, and 30 lbs. swedes 

 per day. The straw, &c., were cooked by steaming. On this food 

 two of the heifers had gained 9 lbs. each in the month's weighing, 

 the others 16 lbs. and 18 lbs. each per week; the average being 

 somewhat more than 14 lbs. per week. A sample of the excre- 

 ment was sent on the 26th of March to Professor Way for analysis, 

 which gives — 



lbs. 



Moisture, __. 83.81 



Organic matter, 13.44 



Sand, &c., 93 



Phosphate of lime, 64 



Common salt,.. 18 



Sulphate of soda and potash, 95 



99.95 

 Nitrogen .51== ammonia .62. 



The yield of excrement is at the rate of about 9-^ tons per year; 

 value 85. 6d. per ton; or Is. Id. per w^ek for each. 



My store of turnips being exhausted with March, an additional 

 proportion of bean-straw, with the above-mentioned alloAvance 

 of rape-cake, bean-meal, linseed, and wheat ground together, was 

 supplied till the 24th of May, when a portion of meadow-grass 

 w^as mixed with the straw, and by degrees the straw was discon- 

 tinued; when mown grass, together with the same allowance of 

 extra food, was given till the close of June, when the lot were 

 of prime quality, and sold for the top market price. Up to the 



