282 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



energy, which would otherwise be practically an entire 

 waste. Of course, surplus edible products are also utilized 

 in stock-feeding, and, in this country, very largely so. 

 This, however, can only be regarded as a temporary phase 

 of our agriculture. While, on the fertile soil of the corn- 

 belt, it is often found more profitable to convert corn into 

 beef or pork than to market it directly, as the density 

 of population and the demand for breadstuffs increases, 

 the stock-feeder will be more and more constrained to 

 the use of the cheaper by-product feeds in place of grain. 

 From the economic point of view, then, it is highly im- 

 portant that that portion of our national wealth repre- 

 sented by these inedible products should be utilized to 

 the best advantage, yielding a greater aggregate profit 

 to the producer and a more liberal supply of animal food 

 to the consumer." 1 



COMPOSITION OF FEEDS 



For feeding purposes, the chemist determines the 

 composition of feed in terms of water, ash, protein, ether 

 extract or fat, crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract, the 

 last two together making up the carbohydrates. 



251. Water. The chemist places a small quantity of 

 the finely ground feeding-stuff in a small dish and weighs 

 it. The sample is then placed in an oven, where it is dried 

 at a temperature of 212 Fahr. for several hours, or until 

 it no longer loses weight. It is then weighed again, and 

 the difference between the two weights is the water that 

 the food contains. The balance on which this work is 



1 Pennsylvania Bulletin No. 84 



