36 Analyses of Indian corn and Ruta-haga. — Poultry yards. Vol. VIII. 



Analyses of Indian corn and Ruta-baga. 



To tlie Editor of the New-England Farmer. 



Dear Sir, — In your last week's paper, 

 you expressed a vvisli for analyses of Indian 

 corn and of ruta.-bag-a. They are herewith 

 enclosed — and for the purpose of comparison, 

 potatoes are added. 



100 lbs. of— Corn. R.baga. Pot's. 



1,312 1,000 1,386 



The acids and the chlorine are combined 

 with the alkalies, metals and earths, and 

 form salts, called sulpiiates, muriates, and 

 phosphates of potash, soda, lime, &c. 



You wish to know what is the action 

 of the salts ] So far as chemistry has yet 

 gone, these are found combining with the 

 flesh-forming principles only, and never with 

 the fat-formers. They form a part of flesh, 

 blood, sinews, bones, gristle. They are found 

 in the animal body, only in combination with 

 these tissues, or in certain secretions and ex- 

 cretions. As the elements of the animal 

 tissues are identical in composition with cer- 

 tain parts of vegetables, which alone form 

 them, we may infer, that in the animal and 

 vegetable systems, the salts perform similar 

 parts. Rigid analysis would probably show 

 that the salts are always proportional to the 

 flesh-forming principles. As in the animal 

 body, the salts form not fat, so in the vege- 

 table, they form not a part of starch, gum, 

 sugar, wood. Essential they are to the form- 

 ation of the plant, by which the fat-forming 

 principles are produced, and equally essen- 

 tial to the growth of the animal body. How 



they act, is unknown. It is determined by 

 chemistry, that the salts form certain defi- 

 nite proportions of certain parts of the body. 

 We may infer then, that their action is, to 

 form only the substances of which they are 

 essential elements. If supplied in quantity 

 greater than the body requires to form these 

 elements, they would probably be excreted 

 as useless. Unless then, you have some 

 evidence that salts act on animals, as in 

 some cases on plants, to increase bulk and 

 development, the position that salts exert 

 "a greater action, in proportion to their 

 quantity, upon the animal system, than the 

 organized matters," requires further proof. 

 Now, this proof, chemistry expects from 

 practised cattle-feeders and stock-raisers. 

 The analyses above, compared with your 

 experience, may throw some light upon the 

 subject. With regard, 



Samuel L. Dana. 



Poultry Yards. 



Every farmer should supply his table 

 chiefly with fresh meats from his poultry 

 yard. By proper attention, it may also be 

 made a source of profit in addition. A yard 

 of suitable size, enclosed with pickets, in- 

 cluding a poultry house, and a supply of 

 fresh water, and a pond to wash in, are in- 

 dispensable to the success of raising poultry. 



To ensure a plentiful supply of eggs in 

 winter, let the fowls have a warm habita- 

 tion in which they can remain through the 

 day in cold severe storms, with room to 

 move about. Place a trough about four 

 inches wide and four inches deep, and length 

 according to circumstances, within the yard, 

 with a roof so low as to prevent their get- 

 ting into the trough; keep this well supplied 

 with feed, that they may have it by them 

 constantly. In sunmier, let them out once 

 or twice a day to ramble awhile, if you have 

 no crops near enough to be injured by their 

 depredations. As they are somewhat car- 

 nivorous, some kind of fresh meat is neces- 

 sary for them once a day in winter, when 

 they are not supplied with insects. 



No poultry is profitable to be kept after 

 three years old. Something depends how- 

 ever, on the breed and the manner in which 

 they are kept. The Poland top-knots are 

 considered as the best for eggs, and are 

 sometimes called everlasting layers. They 

 are more hardy than most kinds, for the ex- 

 tremes of weather. — Farmer's Gazette. 



He who neglects Religion, prepares for 

 himself a bitter draught — a meal of worm- 

 wood, a bed of briers, a pillow of thorns, a 

 life of vexation, and a death of sorrow. 



