NEW BOOKS. 177 



Many experiments are yet wanting to determine with accuracy (lie proportion of 

 fat contained in all the different Ifindsof food usually consumed by animals. Nearly 

 all we yet know upon this subject is exhibited in the tabular view of their composi- 

 tion to which 1 have already directed your attention on page 5.31. 



One thing-, however, of considerable practical value has been recently ascertained, 

 —that the oily matter of seeds exists chiefly near their outer surface— in or immedi- 

 ately under the skin or husk. This fact is shown in the case of wheat, by the follow- 

 ing results of the examination of two varieties of this grain, one grown near Dur- 

 ham, the other in France. The result as to the French grain is given by Dumas : 



PER CENTAGE OF FATTY OIL. 



Eits^lish. French. 



Fine flour 1.5 1.4 



Pollard 2.4 4.8 



Boxings 3.6 — 



Bran 3.3 5.2 



This fact of the existence of more fat in the husk than in the inner part of the grain 



explains what often seems*inexplicable to the practical man — why bran, namely, 



which appears to contain little or no nourishing substance, should yet fatten pigs and 



other full grown animals, when given to them in sufficient quantity along with their 



I other food. It also explains why rice dust should be found to fatten stock,* though 



1 the cleaned and prepared rice contains but little oil, and is believed, therefore, to be 



I unfitted for laying on fat upon animals with any degree of rapidity. No doubt the 



dust from pearl-barley and from oats, as well as the husk of these grains, might be 



economically employed by the stock feeder where they can readily be obtained. 



KIND AND QUANTITY OF ADDITIONAL FOOD REQUIRED BY A GROW- 

 ING ANIMAL. 



The young and growing animal requires also that its food should be adjusted to its 

 peculiar wants. In infancy the muscles and bones increase rapidly in size when the 

 1 food is of a proper kind. This food, therefore, should contain a large supply of the 

 I phosphates, from which bone is formed, and of gluten or fibrin, by which the mus- 

 j cles are enlarged. Some kinds of fodder contain a larger proportion of tliese phos- 

 phates. Such arc corn seeds in general, and the red clover among grasses. Some 

 1 again contain more of the materials of muscles. Such are beans and peas among our 

 usually cultivated seeds, and tares and other leguminous plants among our green crops. 

 Hence the skilful feeder or rearer of stock can often select with judgment that kind 

 of food which will specially supply that which the animal, on account of its age or 

 rapid growth, specially requires — or which, with a view to some special object, he 

 wishes his animal specially to lay on. Does he admire the fine bono of the Ayrshire 

 breed ?— he will try to stint it while young of that kind of food in which (he phos- 

 phates abound. Does he wish to strengthen his stock, and to enlarge their bones ? — 

 |he will supply the phosphates liberally while the animal is rapidly growing. 



An interesting application of these principles is seen in the mode of feeding calves 

 adopted in different districts. Where they are (o be reared for fattening stock, to be 

 sold to the butcher at two or three year old, they are well fed with good and abundant 

 ifood from the first, that they may grow rapidly, attain a great size, and carry ranch 

 mesh. If starved and stunted while young, they often fatten rapidly when put at last 

 upon a generous diet, but they never attain to their full natural size and weight. 



When they are reared for breeding stock or for milkers, similar care is taken of 

 |them in the best dairy countries from the first, though in some the allowance of milk 

 is stinted; and substitutes for milk are early given to the young animals. 



•Rice dust is very good food for fattening pigs, makes excellent pork, and is very profitable 

 vhen given along with whey. 



VOL. I. NO. 1. X 



