88 THE BEGINNER IN POULTRY 



wheat middlings. Cottonseed meal, ground peas, and 

 ground beans belong here ; most of these analyze be- 

 tween 1 8 and 33 per cent protein, the highest, cottonseed 

 meal, running above 42 per cent. The animal meals go 

 still higher. These are good friends to the poultryman, 

 but sometimes deceitful, so that he needs to know all 

 that is to be learned about them, and to be able to group 

 and interchange them at will. His great economic 

 struggle will be in connection with them, also, let it be 

 remembered. 



It will not do to jump at the conclusion that cotton- 

 seed meal, because vegetable and high in protein, is 

 therefore the best feed to be had. A correspondent who 

 ranks with the Beginners writes me that he has discov- 

 ered through experience one fact, viz., that cottonseed 

 meal is the cheapest source of protein. In the same 

 letter he inquires how to treat rheumatism in his stock 

 (probably legweakness!), failing utterly to connect this 

 reliance on cottonseed meal with its legitimate outcome. 

 One who feeds this needs to erect the red flag of " dan- 

 ger ahead" on the bin or barrel containing the feed. 

 And especially is this the case with the Beginner. Some 

 experts say that cottonseed meal is never safe to feed 

 young animals; others believe that good judgment may 

 make its use safe. Speaking especially of cattle feeding, 

 the New Jersey Station (Bulletin 174) has said: "The 

 injurious effects which have sometimes been reported 

 from the use of this highly concentrated food have, in 

 many cases, at least, been due to feeding it by itself or 

 without being intermixed with any other foodstuff. 

 When it is thoroughly incorporated with other foods, 

 especially those of a starchy nature, it can safely be 



