



Vol. XXI, Second Series. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., DECEMBER, 1860. 



No. 12. 



THE NUTRITIVE VAXUE OF DIFFERENT FOODS. 



It is a matter of great importance to determine 

 the r'.'lative nutritive value of substances used as 

 food for farm stock. Unfortunately, our know- 

 ledge on this subject is exceedingly limited. It was 

 at one time supposed that the quantity of nitrogen 

 in different food represented their relative value. 

 Recent experiments show that, if this rule holds 

 true in a majority of cases, there are a great many 



exceptions to it. Still it is interesting to know the 

 quantity of nitrogen in different foods, for although 

 this does not represent their nutritive value, it does 

 show their relative value as manure — whether used 

 directly as such, or first fed to animals, and their 

 droppings carefully preserved and used afterward. 

 The following table will be found useful for this 

 purpose, at least, and is interesting, as embodying 

 the opinions of men eminent in agricultural science : 



The use of this table, (assuming it to be correct,) 

 will be readily perceived. Thus 75 lbs. of clover 

 Lay contains as much nitrogen (that is, albumen, 



or the so-called flesh-forming constituents,) as 

 100 lbs. of meadow hay. This, according to 

 BoussiNGAULT, indicates that 75 lbs. of red clover 



