48 



FARMERS' REGISTER— NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FOO0. 



mon water, and the properties of grain are known 

 to change, or to be lost, in the processes of malt- 

 ing and baking. It is also possible that certain 

 combinations of those substances may be more 

 nutritive than others; and therefore, although the 

 chemical tests have thrown considerable light upon 

 the subject, they yet cannot be deemed conclusive. 

 There appear, indeed, to be about as many varie- 

 ties of extract as there are species of plants: the 

 difference of the properties probably in many 

 cases de])ended upon thcur being combined with 

 small quantities ol" other vegetable substances, or 

 to. their containing different saline, alkaline, or 

 earthy ingredients. It is probable that the excel- 

 lence of the different articles as Ibod will "be found 

 to be in a great measure ]iroportional to the quality 

 of the nutritive matter they afford; but still their 

 quantities cannot be regarded as absolutely direct- 

 ing their value. Experience, however, which is 

 the farmer's surest guide, has to a great extent 

 confirmed the accuracy of the analysis, and has in 

 this instance added one more to the many existing 

 proofs of the assistance Avhicll husbandry derives 

 from science. 



On reference to the table, it will be seen that 

 oats are greatly superior in nutritive matter to 

 beans; but this must be vmderstood with regard to 

 their respective weight, for, used as they are in 

 England, by measure, and taking the average 

 weight of a bushel of common horse-beans at 56 

 lbs. and of Scotch oats at 40 lbs., the difference 

 between tlfe two will be as 31,920 to •29.720, or 

 nearly 16 to 15 per bushel, in favor of beans. The 

 same remark will nearly apply to the relati\'e value 

 of peas; with this distinction, however, that as 

 they contain less gluten than beans, they are per- 

 haps neither so heating, nor so nutritive; and ex- 

 perience has shown them to be more flatulent. 



The difference in weight of the various grain 

 used in feeding horses is not in general sufficiently 

 considered. Most people look only to the prices, 

 and finding beans at perhaps 5s., when oats are 

 only at 3s. 6rf. the bushel, they conclude that the 

 latter are cheaper in that proportion; without re- 

 flecting that, were the bushels weighed, the prices 

 would be found nearly equal, and that, were 

 feeding regulated by weight, the cost of either 

 would be about the same.* 



The custom o^ feeding by measure has led to a 

 prevalent idea that beans are more nutritive than 

 oats; though, weight for weight, we have seen 

 that the contrary is the fact; and both that and the 

 heating quality ascribed to them has probably 

 aiisen as much ii-om the greater amount in an 

 equal measure, as from any other cause; for, al- 

 though it would appear that a bushel of either 

 contains nearly an equal portion of nutritive mat- 

 ter, yet bulk, or weight, is also of importance in 

 feeding, and it is certain that, in practice, an equal 

 measure of beans is superior to the same quantity 



* Taking for the sake of round numbers, the average 

 price and weight of oats, at 3s. Ad. and 40 lbs. per 

 bushel, they would be worth a penny the pound; and 

 the relative value to them, of other grain used as horse- 

 food, at their common average weight, when of equal- 

 ly good quality, would be, 



Common 

 Oats. Tick beans. H. beans. G. peas. Barley. Ryfi. 



Weight 40lbs. 601bs. 561bs. COlbs. 501bs. 521bs. 

 Price, 35. 4rf. 55. Orf. 4s. 8rf. 5s. Qd. 45. 2d. 48, 4rf, 



of oats. It also occasions constant irregularity in 

 the common fi^eding with oals alone; for these vary 

 in weight, accordmgto soil and season, fiom 30 lbs.- 

 to 42 lbs., and even more, per bushel: thus a quart- 

 ern of good feed oats, which ought to weigh 2-^- lbs. 

 is often reduced to 2 lbs., and ihough the horse is 

 thereby deprived of one-fifth of his corn, yet, the 

 same measure being thrown into the manger, the 

 tact is seldom adverted to. 



The Ibllowing table * will show the quantit}^ of 

 meal that is usually extracted li"om certain weights 

 of that grain; and, though different results may 

 be obtained by various qualities and seasons, yet 

 the progressiv^e ratio of the produce will generally 

 be found nearly similar: — 



Weigbt 

 per busliel 

 avoiidupois. 



lbs. 



A-i produce in meal 2.5 



40 " 



.38 « 



{ 36 " 



34 " 



32 " 



30 " 



Rye is very generally employed as horse-food in 

 North America. It is there given coarsely ground, 

 and sprinkled over straw and clover chaff', pre- 

 viously wetted, by which means the whole mass is 

 well incorporated; mastication also is so much 

 assisted that no part is wasted, and the condition 

 of the carriers' horses on the roads in Pennsylva- 

 nia, where they are universally thus fed, and are 

 seldom lodged in a stable, proves the excellence 

 of the practice. It is also used in Germany; but 

 generally in the shape of bread made fi-om the 

 wliole flour and bran, and it is not unusual in tra- 

 velling through some parts of that countrj", and 

 of Holland, to see the postilions help themselves 

 and their horses from the same loaf The plan of 

 giving bread to horses was formerly adopted in 

 some racing-stables in England, and the statute- 

 book contains many acts of jiarliament regulating 

 the making of horse-bread. In later times wheat- 

 en bread of the finest quality was used, from an 

 idea that the superior weight and value of the 

 grain, and its well-known nutritive power, when 

 the flour alone is converted into bread, would ren- 

 der it more invigorating than oats: but the experi- 

 ment did not succeed, and it furnishes one among 

 many proofs, that reasoning from analogy alone 

 will sometimes lead to erroneous conclusions. 



Barley is rarely used in this country for horses, 

 and rye ]-)erhaps never, or only by chance ; yet 

 throughout the south of Europe, the former along 

 with straw, is the only food given to horses and 

 mules, the latter of which go through very severe 

 labor, and are generally in high condhion. There 

 are various opinions concerning its properties — ■ 

 some considering it as more heating, others as 

 more cooling, than oats, and all perhaps equafly 

 ill-founded. Where constantly used, it is not seen 

 to have any prejudicial eflect ; and, as it appears 

 to contain a larger portion of nutritive matter than 

 oats, and is known to be more fattening, it is well 

 worthy of attention, especially as the price is so 

 much affected by mere color, which is of no im- 

 portance in feeding, that inferior malting samples 

 frequently fetch little more than feed oats of good 



* Survey of Antrim, p. 183. See a future chapter, 

 on the cultivation of oats, in this publication; and also 

 the Farmers' Magazine, vol. xvi. p. 188, vol. xvii. p. 

 413, and vol. xx. p. 308. 



