524 KKI'OKT OF OFFICE OF EXPKKIMKNT aTATlONS. 



cliisioii rcaclii'd is that these inateriiils consist of niixtuivs of such 

 comiMon (liujis as j^cntian, f(Mm<;i-(M'k, salt, sulpliur, clian'oal, sul- 

 phiito of iiiaji-iu'sia, soda, etc., mixed with cereals, oil meul, and 

 l)V-products. The cost of such jjoods is very hiuh in proportion to 

 their nutritive value, and the j^enei-al opinion seems to bo that ay 

 remedial ayfents they are not needed hy healthy animals. 



K. ^\'. C'lothier" reported the composition of condimental stock food 

 and also a test in which a lot of 211 sheep fed alfalfa hay and ear corn 

 •^rained 117 pounds more than a similar lot fed condimental stock food 

 in addition to the hay and corn. 



C. S. Plumb'' tested the value of condimental stock food in fattening 

 swine. In one test the best results were obtained without condimental 

 fee(i, and in another somew^iat greater profits were obtained with a 

 lot fed this material. Discussing these experiments the author states, 

 ''In themselves there is no special objection to stock foods. In fact, 

 there are brands made that are rich in nutriment and have a high 

 value as a food. The principal criticism that can be made is the exces- 

 sive price generally charged for th(un, which is far beyond their value. 

 No doul)t in many cases oil meal will give fully as satisfactory results 

 as the stock food.'' 



H. Snyder and J. A. Hummel' found that steers digested alfalfa 

 hav fed with corn meal much more thoroughly than a similar ration 

 with the addition of condimental food. 



At the Virginia Station D. O. Nourse and M. Ferguson'^ examined 

 a considerable number of condimental feeds and found that they were 

 made up of ordinary concentrated feeds and such drugs as Epsom 

 salts, sulphur, ginger root, fennel seed, gentian, fenugreek, nmstard, 

 etc. These di'ugs are used in small (luantities so the price per ton 

 would not greatl}' exceed that of the concentrated feed used as a Imse, 

 probably not over $40 per ton, "while the price to the consumer is 

 from $140 to $1,600 per ton. 



"If at any time the animal begins to show improvement, apparentl}'' 

 from the use of these powders, it can be attributed rather to the bet- 

 ter care and treatment which the animal in nearly every case receives 

 than to any particular virtue contained in the prepared articles. It 

 is noticeable that in nearly all cases they are recommended to be fed 

 with a mash feed of some kind." 



The feeding value of fenugreek, which is an ingredient of many 

 condimental stock foods, is discussed in a recent journal.* 



"Industrialist, 26 (1900), p. 469. '? Virginia Sta. Bui. 144. 



''Indiana Sta. Bui. 98. «Farm Students' E^v., 7 (1902), p. 21. 



<■ Minnesota Sta. Bui. 80. 



