STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 731 



close of May their gain averaged over 14 lbs. per weekj during 

 June they gained something less than 14 lbs. per week. On the 

 29th of June a sample of excrement was sent to Professor Way, 

 who reported its contents : — 



lbs. 

 Moisture, 84. 90 



Organic matter, 11.94 



Sand, _ 86 



Phosphate of lime, 1.33 



Common salt, ._ .24 



Sulphate of soda and potash •. _ .76 



100.00 



Nitrogen .94, = to 1.14 ammonia. 



The yield of excrement was at the rate of 9^ tons per year, and 

 its value in ammonia and phospate of lime may be computed 

 at Ids. per ton, being at the rate of 2s. lO^d. per week for 

 each, to which the sulphate of potash will be an appreciable 

 addition. 



It will be observed that the bulk of food supplied when this 

 sample of excrement was sent for analysis was meadow-grass, at 

 the time of year when it is rich in nitrogen, and this would mate- 

 rially affect the proportion of nitrogen in the excrement. It 

 would have afforded a more correct test of my views as to the 

 disposition of animals to assimilate more of nitrogen in the early, 

 and of fat in the later stages of feeding, if the same food had been 

 continued throughout. Still, when I find in the advanced stage ol 

 feeding the excrement doubly rich in nitrogen, with scarcely an 

 equal gain in weight, tliis tends to confirm such an inference. 



It seems probable that the supply of extra food, diu-ing June, 

 as far as regards the nitrogenous principle, was superfluous. 

 The cost of this extra food is 3^. 2ld. per week; the increase in 

 the value of tlie excrement will be al>out 1^. 7(/., as the excre 

 nient witliout tlie extra food would probably have been wortli 

 Is. 6d. per week. 



On each occasion the sample of excrement sent for analysis, 

 was taken from the quantity of solid and li<iuid evacuated during 

 the preceding 24 hours, well bleiidfd and sent otT quite fresli. 



Tliese exjteriments were Cijnrludcd in June, 1855, since when 

 my triatiiient has undergone some modifications. 



