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THE GENESEE FARMER. 



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of animal, and the increase obtained upon each 100 lbs. of live weight, and consequently 

 in the weight of meat produced by one ton of hay. The last column is the mean result 

 of many experiments as given by Boussingault. The amount of food consumed per 

 cent, of live weight is more than double any of the others, and so is the increase per 

 cent. ; so that the weight of beef ]M-oduced by the consumption of one ton of hay, is 

 nearly the same throughout the series ; and we may safely take the mean result as a 

 pretty correct indicative of what we shall obtain in common practice. The mean of the 

 whole of the experiments is. 106 lbs. of increase (which we shall consider as fat and 

 meat) for each ton of hay consumed. From this it is evident that, in most places, feed- 

 ing cattle in winter is attended with direct loss, or at least with no profit, llow far the 

 value of the manure may compensate for this loss, we shall inquire further on. 



In some extensive experiments on sheep feeding, Mr. Lawes found that South Down 

 sheep eat, per 100 lbs. live weight, 5 lbs. 2 oz. American oilcake, and 16 lbs. 2 oz. of 

 clover hay per week ; and increased 1 lb. 3 oz. Another lot eat per 100 lbs. live weight, 

 5 lbs. 2 oz. linseed, and 14 lbs. 12 oz. clover chaff; and increased 1 lb. If oz. per week. 

 In the first experiment, 436 lbs. of oilcake and 1,3*78 lbs. of clover are required to pro- 

 duce 100 lbs. of increase. In the second, there is required 465 lbs. of linseed and 1331 

 lbs. clover hay to produce 100 lbs. increase. The 436 lbs. oilcake, at $20 per ton, would 

 cost 14.36 ; the 1,378 lbs. clover hay, at $6 per ton, would be worth $4.14 ; making 

 the cost of producing 100 lbs. of mutton, 18.50 — or eight and a half cents per pound. 



From these facts it is most obvious that if feeding is a paying business, it is in the 

 value of the manure made by it, and not in the mere production of beef, mutton, or 

 pork. The whole question, then, of the economy of feeding cattle in winter, appears to 

 rest on the value of the manure made in producing 100 lbs. of meat. To answer this 

 question satisfactorily, requires much more data than we at present command. There 

 are, too, many points involved in its settlement that are much disputed. Under such 

 circumstances, therefore, we submit our own views, believing that they will ultimately 

 be found not far from the truth. 



In the first place, it is necessary to have some standard manure, the value of which is 

 fixed, to compare with that made by feeding with difterent substances. For this pur- 

 pose we know of nothing better than Peruvian guano, the consumption of which is now 

 very great, and is steadily increasing. Its retail price is $2.50 per hundred. A first 

 rate sample contains 16 per cent, of ammonia, and 25 per cent, of phosphate of lime, 

 &c. The phosphate of lime is worth about one cent per pound ; for it can be purchased 

 for that in other forms, such as animal charcoal. Therefore, the price paid for ammonia 

 in guano is nearly 16 cents per pound, and we know of no cheaper source of it. The 

 hay used in the experiments given in the table, was what is called " English meadow 

 hay." It contains about 1.2 per cent, of nitrogen, or one ton would contain twenty-four 

 pounds nitrogen. We may estimate the amount of ammonia in the excrements to be 

 equal to the amount of nitrogen consumed in the food. Therefore, in consuming one 

 ton of hay by cattle, we get 106 lbs. beef and 24 lbs. of ammonia in the manure, worth, 

 at sixteen cents per pound, ^3.84. The ton of hay, too, would contain 14 lbs. phosphate 

 of lime; and estimating that 3 lbs. pliosphoric acid are retained in the increase of animal, 

 would leave 8 lbs. phosphate of lime in the manure. This, as we have said, is worth 8 

 cents. If we call the potash, soda, sulphuric acid, &c., worth eight cents more; we get, 

 in consuming one ton of hay on the farm, by horses, cattle, or sheep, $4 worth of manure. 

 The 106 lbs. of beef, at 5 cents per pound, is $5.30. Adding the |4 worth of manure, 

 makes the return for one ton of hay, $9.30. 



With these data, any farmer can tell whether, in his locality, it is preferable to sell the 

 produce or consume it on the farm — it depends on the relative price of hay and meat. 



If oilcake and clover hay be used as food, the manure will be much more valuable 

 than where hay only is eaten. Thus, taking the results of Mr. Lawes above quoted, 



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