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683 



food in fattening steers and feedinc: niilcL cows appears to be greater than 

 Las lieretofore been snpposed. Nitrogen is the most costly ingredient 

 of fertilizers. Farmers in the older States pay millions of dollars every 

 year for nitrogen in nitrate of soda, sulpliate of ammonia, dried blood, 

 tankage, guano, and other nitrogenous materials. Surely it is proved 

 conclusively that our common legumes — clovers, alfalfa, cowpea, lu]>ine, 

 etc. — are able to obtain nitrogen from the .air, so that by growing them 

 it is clear that the farmer can have nitrogen for nothing instead of pur- 

 chasing it in artificial fertilizers. 



Sumviary. — The fat of meat, lard, butter, and cotton-seed oil, and the 

 sugar and starch, which con.stitute the larger part of the nutritive 

 material of wheat and other grains and nearly the wliole of that of 

 potatoes, all do the same work in nutrition — they are the fuel of the 

 body. Taking our food production and the demand of the country for 

 nutriment, each as a whole, we have a large excess of the materials 

 which serve as fuel, while the protein compounds which build muscle, 

 tendon, bone, and other tissues are relatively deficient. In consequence 

 the cattle grower, the pork producer, the dairyman, the sugar maker, 

 the raiser of wheat and potatoes, and the cotton i^lanter are competing 

 with each other in an overstocked market. 



Meanwhile, there is a relative deficiency of protein in our food pro- 

 duction for both man and domestic animals. The farmer needs more 

 protein for food for Ms cows to make more milk at less cost; for the 

 steers and swine he is fattening for market so as to make more and 

 leaner meat; and for his horses and his oxen so that they will do better 

 and more economical work. The people at large need more protein and 

 less fat and carbohydrates in their food so that they may be nourished 

 in a more healthful way and at less expense. 



The needed increase of protein may be obtained by breeding and 

 importing varieties of grains and gTasses richer in nitrogen than those 

 we now cultivate and by growing more legumes. The advantage of 

 legumes to the farmer is manifold. They do not require nitrogen from 

 manure but obtain it from the air. They elaborate the nitrogen into 

 protein for fodder. By mixing leguminous i^roducts with poor hay, straw, 

 and constalks the large quantities of carbohydrates in the latter can be 

 most j)rofltably utilized. The food thus produced for stock is what is 

 needed to make leaner meat and mor6 of it, and more milk at less cost; 

 the nitrogen not transformed into meat or milk makes rich manure for 

 grasses, grains, and other crops; and finally the richer manure heljjs to 

 bring crops richer in protein. — [W. O. A.] 



