USES OF CORN. 247 



that will take on fat so rapidly as sheep, if they are 

 in good condition and rightly fed. He estimates the 

 relative values of oil meal and corn in the ratio of 

 fifty pounds of the former to sixty pounds of the 

 latter, in feeding sheep, and probably the same com- 

 parative value would hold true for other animals. 



It has been found by wool-growers that the ten- 

 dency of feeding corn is to increase the weight of the 

 fleece. One writer reports, as the result of some ex- 

 periments on this subject, an average increase of half 

 a pound per fleece, produced by feeding corn during 

 the winter, before shearing. Some others have found 

 a greater increase than this. 



Sheep are very fond of corn-fodder when it is per- 

 fectly sound, and experience has proved it to be eco- 

 nomical, and well adapted to their wants, and all the 

 more so if finely chaffed. The amount of food con- 

 sumed by sheep, as compared with that of cattle, has 

 been computed at about one-eighth. That is to say, 

 the food required by one ox would be sufficient, on 

 an average, for eight sheep. Therefore, according to 

 the estimate before made for cattle, it will be seen 

 that the total product of one acre of corn, including 

 grain, cob, and stalk, on a yield of one hundred 

 bushels, would be sufficient to winter more than fifty 

 sheep. 



It is not, however, intended by this statement to 

 recommend the exclusive use of the above provender, 

 nor to prescribe for every case one invariable propor- 

 tion of the different parts in combining them. Though 

 for some purposes the combination of the grain, cob, 



