370 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



certain quantity of salt is necessary to the healthy condition of an animal. This 

 salt it obtains from its food or from its drink. But the quantity of salt in the 

 food varies with the kind of food, with the soil on which it is grown, with the 

 manner by which its growth is promoted, and probably with the proximity or 

 exposure to the sea of the locality in which the crop is raised. If the soil or 

 manure is rich in common salt, or if the sea-spray freely reach it, the crop may 

 abound in it to such a degree as readily to supply all that the animal to which it 

 is given may require. If the contrary is the case the addition of salt may be 

 necessary to the perfect health of the animal, and therefore toils profitable nour- 

 ishment and growth. 



The water again of our springs and rivers which always contains salt is more or 

 less rich in this substance according as the soil or rock through which it flows is 

 so, or according as it is near or remote from the sea. Thus in some districts what 

 the food does not supply the drink may make up, while in others both food and 

 drink may leave a deficiency, which the practical farmer may find it advantage- 

 ous and profitable to supply. Though not directly fattening, salt may, in such 

 cases, by promoting or maintaining the health of an animal, actually tend to a 

 more rapid increase of its weight. 



[To show how much there may be in the difference of water in ditferent regions, it is enough to state that 

 on a mill-wheel, near Newmarket, Virginia, the deposit of lime is so great in every few years as to form a 

 complete encasement of i of an inch of the arms of the wheel, Ed. Farm. Lib.] 



USE OF CORN MEAL IN FATTENING DOMESTIC ANIMALS, 



ACCORDING TO EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The value and economy of Indian corn meal as food for domestic animals, as 

 compared with other articles and especially with oil-cake, is one of the most in- 

 teresting problems that can now engage the attention of scientific and practical 

 men ; and we shall feel particularly indebted to all who will aid us in the inqui- 

 ry. We have no doubt of its great saving compared with other food used in 

 England, except the oil-cake, and especially in combination with Swedish or 

 other turnips. The question as to oil-cake rests on our want of exact informa- 

 tion as to the cost and value of that. Every one is aware that besides its fatten- 

 ing properties it has, in the experience of English farmers, great value on ac- 

 count of the addition it imparts to the fertilizing property of the excrements of 

 cattle fed upon it — giving, as they aver on analysis and experience, double the 

 efficacy to a given weight of manure. 



If it can be demonstrated that our corn meal may, as we doubt not it may, be 

 so desiccated in Stafford's Patent Dryer as to keep for any length of time, and 

 that, having regard to all ulterior uses and cfi'ects, it may be profitably substitu- 

 ted for oil-cake so much used in England, what will stand in the way of a con- 

 stant and unfailing demand in that country for this most valuable American sta- 

 ple ? Thus who can fail to see the importance of the question it presents to a 

 large portion of American cultivators, or hesitate to give what assistance he 

 may in the elucidation of the subject ? As we have before stated, we pointed the 

 public attention to the use and value of corn meal, as food for fattening cattle, 

 in the very first number of an agricultural paper, which made its appearance in 

 the United States, appearing in fact on the first but dated on the 2d of April, 

 1S19, because our friends assured us of being laughed at for attempting to make 

 April fools of all who should be silly enough to read an agricultural paper ! ! 

 In that number was civcu a particular historv and account of two famous oxen — 



