212 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



any of our home-raised articles, with the exception of clover, 

 and some other leguminous plants. So those refuse mate- 

 rials, such as brewers' grain, mast meal, gluten meal, mid- 

 dlings, bran, in their own way have a peculiar feeding 

 value; and to recognize that is what we have to learn, and 

 from knowing the principles of nutrition we recognize that 

 fact. 



The next question is, how we can comply in the most 

 economical way with those requirements, — because it is 

 dollars and cents we are after. Now, in buying our fodder 

 articles in the market we usually look first to general 

 adaptation. That means, in other words, that the article 

 must have a fair reputation as an article adapted to the use 

 for which we require it. Hay has its own value, and so has 

 corn. If we should substitute one of these for the other, 

 it would be a mistake. It would be contrary to the principles 

 of nutrition, and would fail to produce the best results. 

 What we have to learn in regard to those articles is, how we 

 can supplement each in the proper way. Now, take first 

 the milk of cows. What does that article contain? If I 

 need nitrogenous substances, why should I buy corn meal, 

 when I have plenty of similar material at home in form of 

 roots, hay and other articles raised on the farm, which have 

 an abundance of it at less cost ? When I go into the market 

 to buy a concentrated fodder article, I inquire, What is that 

 made of ? How large a percentage of nitrogenous con- 

 stituents does it contain? That is the most costly article 

 in agriculture, — the nitrogen. The next consideration is 

 tin' analysis. Analysis gives us a direct insight into the 

 relative proportion of the constituents in any kind of fod- 

 der article we have. Our modes of analysis are based 

 on that, in order to separate these three groups ; and in 

 our reports you will find them stated as ash constitu- 

 ents (phosphoric acid, potash, etc.), cellulose (fibre), pro- 

 teine (nitrogenous matter), fat, and nitrogen-free-cxtract 

 matter. 



Having now ascertained the amount of nitrogen and the 

 (••st of it, the question is, what will be left behind. Manure 

 counts for a good deal in our farm economy. There can 

 never be too much manure produced on your farms ; and 



