144 PHOSPHATE OF LIME INDISPENSABLE. 



supply of ready made oil or fat thus furnished, suits 

 the animal better than the conversion of starch or su 

 gar into fat, as being much easier, more natural, and 

 more readily accomplished. 



b. The organic food must then, in order to meet all 

 the wants of the animal, contain starch, sugar or 

 gum, fatty matter or oil, and nitrogenous compounds. 

 These are all organic bodies. The first three are 

 needed to furnish carbon, to be consumed in respira 

 tion for the purpose of keeping up the animal heat, 

 and also for making fat in case of necessity. The oil 

 is of value for forming fat directly, and the nitroge 

 nous substance for the production of muscle, carti 

 lage, etc. 



c. Among the inorganic parts of the food, phos 

 phate of lime should be prominent, in order that the 

 animal may form its bones strong, and of full size. 

 Potash and soda should also be present in considera 

 ble quantity. I mention phosphate of lime particu 

 larly, because no other phosphate will answer the pur 

 pose of making bone. Experiments have been tried 

 by feeding birds with food containing little or none 

 of this, but an abundance of other phosphates. They 

 gradually became thin and died, and it was found that 

 their bones were all wasted away and weak, for want 

 of the necessary material to build them up. 



SECTION III. OF FEEDING THE YOUNG AND GROWING 

 ANIMAL. 



We see from the facts already stated, that with the 

 knowledge now gained upon this subject, feeding may 

 become a science : we may modify our food according 

 to the end that w r e desire to attain. 



Let us consider first the young and growing animal. 

 What is the system too often pursued ? The best hay, 

 the best shelter, the best litter, all of the grain and 

 roots, are bestowed upon the working or the fattening 



