34 BOARD OF AGRIO'iJLTURE. 



stored for future use in the form of fat. And here a word 

 in regard to this : Of what use is fat in the system ? It fills 

 up all the vacant spaces, thus giving rotundity to the form, 

 which is always pleasing to the eye ; but it is of more utility 

 than this, for it produces a high temperature by its oxida- 

 tion. It aids digestion by metamorphosis ; it aids the devel- 

 opment of cell-life, as the nuclei of some cells are formed 

 from it ; and, as fat is such an excellent non-conductor of heat, 

 it enables the body to economize its warmth. It also prevents 

 friction from muscular action. Thus we see its use: but we 

 cannot well obtain it, unless we feed those articles that largely 

 contain it ; and among these, and at the very head of the list, 

 stands oil-cake, which is largely produced in this country ; but 

 the American farmer allows it to be taken from his very door, 

 and transported to his English brother, who fully knows and 

 appreciates its value. 



The phosphate of lime is necessary for the development of 

 the bones of the body, containing, as they do, 51.04 per cent 

 of this substance ; and 11.30 per cent are of the carbonate. 

 Every farmer knows how necessary it is in the feed of his 

 poultry ; for, if this substance is defective, his hens will pre- 

 sent, him with soft-shell eggs. It is just as necessary in the 

 young steer or heifer, and is not found to any great extent 

 in their food or that of pigs : therefore a little fed to them 

 occasionally will be eaten with evident relish. 



The chief one of the other salts is the chloride of sodium, or 

 common salt, which is of the most special importance in the 

 animal economy, as by its decomposition it gives hydrochloric 

 acid to the gastric juice, and soda to the bile and various 

 salivary secretions, and is found in the blood in the form of 

 phosphate of soda, which enables the plasma of the blood to 

 hold carbonic acid in solution, and thus convey it to the 

 lungs, freeing the body from a deadly poison. So we see 

 that a regular and uniform quantity of salt is necessary for 

 the maintenance of life ; but it should also be observed, that 

 it is not good economy to feed much of it to fattening ani- 

 mals, for the reason, that, when soda is deficient in the bile, 

 the metamorphosis of albuminoid compounds can only yield 

 fat and urea. 



Having thus lightly touched upon the topic of food and 

 its requirements, let us as briefly glance at the organs of 



