DIGESTION AND WINTER FEEDING. 33 



Water 873 



Caseine 48 



Sugar of milk 44 



Butter 30 



Phosphate of lime 2.30 



Other salts 2.70 



Total 1,000.00 



Nearly nine-tenths is water. Why so undue a proportion ? 

 Simply that the necessities of the system may be carried 

 out. These are to remove the solid effete materials of the 

 body in a state of solution, — the production of cold by 

 evaporation thus regulating the temperature of the system, 

 — and to give a due amount of fluidity to the blood. 



When we consider that two-thirds of the weight of the 

 body is water, we will cease to wonder at the quantity that 

 is contained, not only in this article, but in the majority of 

 aliments. From this we would draw the inference, that one 

 of the great requisites of the farm is a suitable and abundant 

 supply of water. A good farmer told me a few weeks ago 

 that he could never raise good pigs on very solid food ; he 

 wanted it made sloppy with water : and besides, he added 

 with a knowing wink, "it is cheap and filling." 



The article caseine represents the nitrogenous principle 

 (the tissue-making), and forms the muscles (gelatinous and 

 soft tissues) of the young animal, and supports those of the 

 old as well. The chemist and the practical stockman agree in 

 this ; for the latter, who wishes to give good muscular develop- 

 ment, feeds those materials rich in the albuminoids, such as 

 bran, pease, brewer's grains, etc. 



While speaking of caseine, it is proper to remark, that it 

 presents nearly the same composition as albumen, showing 

 that the young animal and the newly-hatched chick are 

 nourished by the same food. Fibrine is also closely allied to 

 caseine and albumen, and, when coagulated, may be changed 

 into the latter by the addition of the nitrate of potash. The 

 digestive juices also effect the same change in the stomach. 

 It is also interesting to know, that during the incubation of 

 eggs caseine is produced from albumen. 



The third article, sugar of milk, is converted during the di- 

 gestive process into lactic acid ; and the butter, which follows 

 next, is partially used for the production of heat, and partly 



