FORAGE. 65 



" ' To make one ton of meal. 



cwt. qrs. Ibs. s. d. 



Locust Bean, finely ground, at 6 a ton .600 1 16 



Indian Corn at 7 a ton . . . .900 330 



Best Linseed Cake at 10 a ton . . .300 1 10 



Powdered Turmeric at 8d. a Ib. . . . 40 168 



Sulphur at 3d. a Ib 40 68 



Saltpetre at 5d. a Ib. . ,^ " . 20 84 



Liquorice at Is. a Ib. . . . 27 170 



Cinger at Gd. per Ib. . -, ;. . 3 16 



Aniseed at $d. a Ib. . . . . 4 30 



Coriander at 9d. a Ib. . . . : ; 10 76 



Gentian at Sd. a Ib. ... . 10 68 



Cream of Tartar at Is. Sd. a Ib. ... 2 34 



Carbonate of Soda at 4rZ. a Ib. 6 2 



Levigated Antimony at 6d. a Ib. . . 6 30 



Common Salt at \d. a Ib. . ..';.' 30 13 



Peruvian Bark at 4s. a Ib. . . 4 16 



Fenugreek at 9d. a Ib. . : -V .. . 22 16 6 



Total . -. . 20 12 18 5 



" ' Looking at this composition, it will be evident at a glance that the 

 chief ingredients are the ordinary commercial locust-bean, Indian corn, 

 and oil-cakes. 



" ' These form its bulk, and constitute nine tenths of the whole, the 

 remainder being made up of condiments and stimulants, the sulphur 

 and antimony being intended to act upon the skin in the production of a 

 fine coat, and the fenugreek for a kind of mucilage to prevent any ill 

 effects that might arise from the stimulating character of the food. 



" ' These ingredients have no doubt been selected with skill, and an 

 animal may be expected, and not unreasonably, to thrive upon such 

 savoury substances. For this precious article (which it unquestionably 

 is) the modest sum of about 42s. a cwt. is demanded, or at the rate of 42 

 a ton, or upwards of 300 per cent, on the cost price, even taken at the 

 valuation given above, which for the one tenth or stimulating portion 

 might be considerably reduced, if the several materials were bought at 

 wholesale prices. 



" ' We prefer, however, to take the ordinary trade valuation, in order 

 to give the widest margin possible for the cost this, after all, being the 

 simple point at issue. If a farmer wishes for the article, the use of 

 which, containing as it does so much stimulating matter, is very question- 

 able, and chooses to pay from three to four times the intrinsic value, it 

 is of course at his option to do so ; but as the whole question of farming 

 is one of paying, we will put it plainly : Can it pay to feed animals on 

 substances costing from 40 to 50 per ton? A knowledge of the con- 

 stituent elements of these foods may induce a pause before the outlay is 

 made. 



