40 MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



tary Foods/' by Professor Jaffa of the University of California. 

 The third edition of this bulletin is now in the press. 



Professor Rice of Cornell, in one of his lectures, says, "Feeding 

 poultry is a science and an art." The science is in the knowing 

 why, and the art is in the knowing how to do it. Our Professor 

 Jaffa divides the food (this is the science part) into three classes : 

 The protein, carbo-hydrates and fat. He explains that the word 

 protein comes from a Greek word which means the chief thing 

 or the first thing and the protein is the most important part of. the 

 food, for by it is made or produced the bone, muscle, blood, nerves, 

 tendons, etc. The protein or nitrogenous matter of the hen's body 

 and of the egg is formed by the nitrogenous matter (the protein) 

 that is fed to the hen or that she finds in hunting on the range for 

 her food, so any one can see how important this element is in the 

 food. 



The carbonaceous part of the food, which includes the fat and 

 carbo-hydrates (sugar and starch), is mainly used as a fuel supply 

 to the body and is the substance which is consumed in the pro- 

 duction of heat and energy. We know or have learnt that an 

 active fowl, such as a Leghorn that is always on the move, scratch- 

 ing, running, flying, uses up more of the fat-producing food than a 

 quieter, tamer, heavier fowl, such as the Plymouth Rock or Wyan- 

 dotte or one of the Asiatics. 



The scientists have analyzed the food as well as the hen and 

 have decided that a hen requires as a balanced ration for egg pro- 

 duction one pound of protein to four pounds of carbo-hydrates, and 

 we believe this and act on it by giving the hens animal food, green 

 food and grain. We also want to get the food as cheaply as possi- 

 ble to save our pocketbooks, and yet give the hens food that will 

 bring the best results, this is usually eggs when eggs are dearest. 



The protein is the most expensive part of the food, consequently 

 when we find a food that is inexpensive but contains a large amount 

 of protein, we are glad to buy it, and then we must find out how to 

 mix it or with what other food in order to get the right balance 

 of one part of protein to 4 or 4.5 of carbo-hydrates. A ration means 

 the food for a whole day. 



I am always glad to talk over the different foods and to help 

 beginners decide what is the best and cheapest food for them to 

 use in their locality. Several have lately asked about BEANS, 

 how to feed them to the best advantage. Some years ago I had an 

 opportunity of buying a large quantity of navy beans that had 

 been held as seed beans but several sacks of them had become 

 weevily. I studied Professor Jaffa's bulletin and decided that it 

 would be a good plan to buy them, thinking that as they were small, 

 the hens would eat them, but my hens did not take to them at 

 first, so I sent the beans to the mill and had them coarsely ground, 

 and I then soaked them over night with a little bicarbonate of soda 

 in the water, and the next morning when the fire was lighted for 

 breakfast, I put on the beans and let them cook at the back of the 

 stove, taking them off at noon and mixing in bran and cornmeal, 



