58 Report of Department of Animal Husbandry of the 



were made equal in efificiency to rations containing much animal 

 food, although these latter had proved superior to ordinary grain 

 rations. 



In the experiments here reported a mixture of bone ash and 

 oyster shell was used less profitably owing to the injurious efifect 

 of the ground shell though growth was increased by the addition 

 of the mineral matter. 



Compared with the use of an equal amount of sand in rations 

 without animal food the mixture of ash and shell in two trials 

 resulted in considerably more rapid growth. In one the use of 

 food was much more efficient and in the other nearly as efficient; 

 although the losses attributed to the use of shell made the feeding 

 less profitable. 



A ration without animal food and a ration including consider- 

 able animal food were rendered less efficient and less healthful by 

 the admixture of powdered oyster shell than they were when 

 mixed with an equal amount of sand. 



Two rations without animal food and one ration having con- 

 siderable with a little sand, gave much better growth, which was 

 made on the whole with less food, when mixed with Florida rock 

 phosphate than when mixed with ground oyster shell. 



The mixing of ground rock phosphate in two rations without 

 animal food resulted in more efficient use of food and more rapid 

 growth than the mixing of sand alone. 



The addition of the rock phosphate and sand to a ration con- 

 taining considerable animal food, low in ash and to another 

 ration without animal food resulted in better growth and more 

 efficient use of food than the addition of sand alone. 



The sand was mixed with the food, both in a ration without 

 animal food and one containing animal food with bone ; more 

 efficient use of food resulted than when no sand was used. Not 

 much greater average weight was attained but the chicks were 

 healthier. 



