1887.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 31 



2. Fodder and Fodder Analyses. 



The application of an intelligently devised system of 

 chemical tests, for the purpose of ascertaining the amount 

 and the relative proportions of the essential proximate con- 

 stituents of our fodder articles, has rendered valuable ser- 

 vices to practical agriculture. The chemical analysis of 

 plants during their successive stages of growth has shown 

 marked alterations in their composition, as far as the absolute 

 amount of vegetable matter, as well as the relative projpor- 

 tion of the essential plant- constituents, are concerned. It 

 has rendered not less conspicuous the important influence 

 which the soil in its varying state of fertility exerts on the 

 quantity and the quality of the growth raised upon it. The 

 lessons derived from this source of information have stimu- 

 lated inquiries concerning the safest modes of manuring, of 

 cultivating and of harvesting our different farm crops with 

 the prospect of securing the most satisfactory returns under 

 existing circumstances. 



A better knowledge regarding the particular quality of 

 the various articles of fodder at our disposal improves our 

 chances of supplementing them judiciously and thus econom- 

 ically, for different kinds of farm live-stock, as well as for . 

 different conditions and functions of the same kind. It fur- 

 nishes, also, a safer basis for the explanation of the results 

 obtained in actual feeding experiments. To study the 

 nutritive value or feeding effect of any of our fodder articles 

 by actual feeding experiments, without learning, as far as 

 practicable, something more definite regarding its peculiar 

 quality or composition, deprives the results obtained largely 

 of their general interest, for they are secured under ill- 

 defined circumstances. The chemical analysis of an article 

 of fodder is for these reasons considered the first step 

 required to render an intelligent interpretation of the results 

 in feeding trials possible. Actual feeding experiments have 

 shown that three groups of plant constituents, namely, nitro- 

 genous, non-nitrogenous and mineral constituents, are needed 

 to successfully sustain animal life. No one or two of them, 

 alone, can support it for any length of time. In case the 

 food does not contain digestible uon-uitrogenous substances, 



