FOOD. 



The following table represents the relative j 

 proportion of solid digestible matter contained 

 in 1000 parts of the different articles of food 

 which are enumerated. Upon an average, the 

 nutritive matter in a pound of meat is not more 

 than four ounces. This, however, applies only 

 to raw meat ; for, when dressed, a considerable 

 portion of its constituent water is dissipated. 



IL Tablt thawing the average Quantity of Nutritive 

 Matter in 1000 partt of teveral varieties of Jl.iv- 

 mat Food. 



HMUM - 



feff . 

 Chicken 

 Brain - 



Ha.lUork 



. 510 



- TO 



- 00 



- 180 



Veal - 



Pork - 



Blood - 

 n,d and sole 

 White of egg 

 Milk - 



250 



210 

 140 

 72 



A very interesting report on the nutritive 

 properties of food was recently presented to 

 the Frt-iu h Minister of the Interior, by MM. 

 Percy and Vauquelin, two members of the In- 

 stitute. The result of their experiments is as 

 follows : 



In bread, every 100 Ibs. weight is found to 

 contain 80 Ibs. of nutritious matter. Butchers' 

 meat, averaging the various sorts, contain only 

 35 Ibs. in 100. French beans (in the grain), 

 92 Ibs. in 100; broad beans, 89 ; peas, 93; len- 

 lilles, 94 in 100. Greens and turnips, which 

 arc the most aqueous of all vegetables used 

 for domestic purposes, furnish only 8 Ibs. of 

 solid nutritious substance in 100. Carrots, 14 

 Ibs.; anil what is very remarkable, as being in 

 opposition to the hitherto acknowledged theory, 

 100 Ibs. of potatoes only yield 25 Ibs. of sub- 

 stance valuable as nutritious. 1 Ib. of good 

 bread is equal to 2$ Ibs. or 3 Ibs. of the best 

 potatoes ; and 75 Ibs. of bread and 30 of meat 

 are equal to 300 Ibs. of potatoes ; or, to go more 

 into detail, | of a Ib. of bread and 5 oz. of meat 

 are equal to 3 Ibs. of potatoes. 1 Ib. of pota- 

 toes is equal to 4 Ibs. of cabbage and 3 Ibs. of 

 turnips ; but 1 Ib. of rice, broad beans, or French 

 beans (in grain), is equal to 3 ibs. of potatoes. 



In the esculent roots, such as carrots, &c., 

 bat especially turnips, sugar is the leading nu- 

 tritive matter ; and the common fruits contain 

 sugar, gum, albuminous matter, and acids, to- 

 gether with a highly attenuated form of woody 

 fibre or lignin, which in that state is probably 

 digestible. The comparative nutritive proper- 

 lies of the most common fruits will be seen by 

 a reference to the annexed table. 



III. 7*.i6lf $howing the average Quantity of Nutri- 

 Im Matter in 1000 Parts of teveral varieties of 

 Vegetable Food. 



Pliimt - 



r IBM - 

 Apricoti 



M 



m 



WO 



Hi 



Peaches - - 200 



Gooseberries - 190 



Apples - - 170 



Pears - - 160 



Strawberries - 100 



Melon - - 30 



On fattening Jlnimals. There is a very grea 

 difference in the quantity of food which ani- 

 mals require, and in the time which they can 

 ithout it In general, those animals 

 which are the most active require most, am 

 those which are most indolent require leas 

 food. The cause of this is pretty obvious; th< 

 bodies of animals do not remain stationary 

 they are constantly wasting, and the waste i 



FOOD. 



proportioned to the activity of the animal; 

 hence the body must receive, from time to time, 

 new supplies in place of what has been carried 

 off. The use of food answers this purpose. 

 Almost all the inferior animals have ^articular 

 substances on which they feed exclusively. 

 Some are herbivorous, some are granivorous, 



nd others, again, are carnivorous. 

 From various experiments we have the fol- 



owing result: 



L horse will consume as much food, besides 



corn, as -------8 sheep. 



cow -------- 12 



L fattening ox ......10 



L three year old heifer - 



A two year old heifer ----- 6 



A one yeur old heifer ----- 4 



A calf 2 



There are some rules which may be advan- 

 ageously adopted in feeding animals, which, 

 lowever obvious they may be, are too often 

 leglected. 1. Food should be so prepared that 

 ts nutritive properties may be all made avail- 

 ble to the use of the animal ; and not only so, 

 >ut appropriated with the least possible expend! 

 ure of muscular energy. The ox that is obliged 

 o wander over an acre to get the food he 

 hould find in two or three square rods the 

 lorse that is two or three hours eating the 

 ;oarse food he should swallow in fifteen mi 

 nutes if the grain were ground or the hay cut 

 as it should be the sheep that spends hours 

 n making its way into a turnip, when, if it 

 were sliced, it would eat it in as many mi- 

 nutes the pig that eats raw potatoes or whole 

 corn, when either cooked could be eaten in one 

 quarter of the time, may indeed fatten, but 

 much less rapidly than if their food were given 

 hem in a proper manner. All food should be 

 given in such a state to fattening animals, that 

 as little time as possible, on the part of the ani- 

 mal, shall be required in eating. 



2. From the time the fattening process com- 

 mences, until the animal is slaughtered, he 

 should never be without food. Health and ap- 

 petite are best promoted by change of diet 

 rather than by limiting the quantity. The ani- 

 mal that is stuffed and starved by turns may have 

 streaked meat, but it will be made too slowly 

 for the pleasure or the profit of the good farmer. 



3. The food should be given regularly. This 

 is one of the most essential points in feeding 

 animals. If given irregularly, the animal will 

 consume his food, but he soon acquires a rest- 

 less disposition, is disturbed at every appear- 

 ance of his feeder, and is never in that quiet 

 state so necessary to take on fat. It is surpris- 

 ing how readily any animal acquires habits of 

 regularity in feeding, and how soon the influ- 

 ence of this is felt in the improvement of his 

 condition. When at the regular hour the pig 

 has had his pudding, or the sheep his turnips, 

 they compose themselves to rest, their digestion 

 is not unseasonably disturbed, or their quiet 

 broken by unwonted invitation to eat. 



4. The animal should not be needlessly in- 

 truded upon during the hours of eating. All 

 animals fatten much faster in the dark than in 

 the light, a fact only to be accounted for by 

 their greater quiet. Some of those creatures 

 that are the most irritable and impatient of re- 

 straint while feeding, such as turkeys and 



