WHAT CONSTITUTES AN ADEQUATE RATION 111 



siderable extent in meatmeal tankage, if properly prepared. The 

 mineral material is also supplied by the leaves of plants, the 

 milks, meatmeal tankage, and also may be furnished directly by the 

 use of ordinary mineral mixtures made up of limestone, bonemeal, 

 sulphur, wood ashes, Glauber's salts, common salt, and so on. 



Prof. McCollum, pioneer in biological nutrition investigations, 

 has recently written : ' ' It is not possible to make up a diet, derived 

 solely from the seeds of plants, which will support normal growth 

 and health. " It is presumed of course that the animals will be fed 

 on a mineral-free water or, as McCollum puts it, ''Provided salt- 

 free or nearly salt-free water, such as rain water, distilled water and 

 some of the pure and natural waters used for drinking." 



Plant Leaves Balance Rations. Prof. McCollum, now with 

 Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has done a wonderful work 

 to simplify the principles of nutrition. He is a great believer, be- 

 cause of being made so by the results of his invesigations, in the 

 leaves of plants for the balancing of grain feeds. So are good 

 practical swinemen. They have long since learned that the leaves 

 of plants, particularly the leguminous plants, alfalfa, red clover, 

 rape, green tender bluegrass and peanuts, are of great importance 

 in balancing the swine grain ration, and in speaking of this we can 

 not but well again quote from this noted authority : 



"Pigs have in farm practice frequently been stunted and repro- 

 duction has been interfered with as the result of being fed too 

 largely on seeds and by-products of seeds when confined in pens 

 nearly free from vegetation. Under these conditions they get an 

 inorganic supply (mineral) which is not of suitable character, and 

 run short of the unidentified growth stimulant factor, fat soluble A. 

 In many cases they also receive proteins of relatively poor quality. 

 These dietary faults are sufficient to undermine the health of the 

 animal. When, however, the leaf is fed with seed, highly successful 

 nutrition has been secured. Simple mixtures such as 60 per cent of 

 rolled oats with 40 percent of alfalfa flour, prepared by grinding 

 and sifting the dried leaves, were capable of promoting normal 

 growth and well-being when fed throughout life. The reason for 

 this is clear. The leaf portion supplies the fat soluble essential in 

 which the seed is deficient, and also makes good the ' particular 

 mineral elements contained in insufficient amounts in the seed. 

 Similar mixtures of wheat or corn with alfalfa-leaf flour, promote 

 the well-being of animals in a manner which we have never been 

 able to successfully imitate with mixtures of seeds." 



Let us say to Prof. McCollum. in these respects that swinemen 

 have long ago found out that what he says is true gospel in that 

 alfalfa is most thoroughly appreciated, as is red clover, in the great 

 corn-alfalfa regions of the west and eastern sections ; in truth, in 

 all sections where alfalfa and clover are grown and used for swine 

 feeding. 



