POULTRY-CRAFT. u 5 



The mash described in ^[146, (2), has computing the values of its solids, 

 the amount of beef scraps being doubled, as the weight of milk used is not 

 known, a nutritive ratio of 1:5.1; a potential energy of 99 calories per 

 ounce. The mixed grain fed with this mash has, in summer, a nutritive ratio 

 of i : 6.8 ; a potential energy of 95 : in winter, a nutritive ratio of i : 6.8 ; a 

 potential energy of 96. The means of these values may fairly be taken as the 

 values of the complete ration, for the feed of green stuff given at noon is too 

 light to materially affect the values of the ration as a whole, and its tendency to 

 reduce these values is offset by the occasional noon feeds of grain with their 

 tendency to increase the values. The mean values are for the summer ration 

 nutritive ratio 1:5.9; potential energy 97; for the winter ration, nutritive 

 ratio i :6; potential energy 97.5. 



Wheat, the best grain for poultry, itself a practically complete grain ration,, 

 has a nutritive ratio of i : 6.3 ; a potential energy of 102. Barley, the next 

 best grain, has a nutritive ratio of i : 6 ; a potential energy of 100. A mixture 

 of corn and wheat, equal parts, has a nutritive ratio of i : 7.1 ; a potential 

 energy of 104. A mash of 3 parts corn meal to i part shorts, recommended 

 by one of the highest authorities, on feeding (Rankin), to use with wheat and 

 corn as a food for young chicks, has a nutritive ratio of i : 7 ; a potential energy 

 of 100. (The green food used with that ration would slightly narrow the ratio 

 and reduce the energy). Germ meal, a mixture of equal parts ground oats, 

 corn, barley and wheat, has a nutritive ratio of i :6.6; a potential energy of 

 101. A mixture of bran, corn meal and oat meal, equal parts, has a nutritive 

 ratio of i :5-5; a potential energy of 101. The mixture (see f 146 (5) ) of 

 100 Ibs. bran, 75 Ibs. corn, 100 Ibs. oats, 50 Ibs. linseed meal, has a nutritive 

 ratio of i : 5.5 ; a potential energy of 100. " Excelsior Meal " (see ^[146 (24) ) 

 has a nutritive ratio of i : 6 ; a potential energy of 101. 



The averages of these values giveybr the standard of Nutritive Ratio, 

 i : 6 ; for the standard of Potential Energy 100 calories per ounce.* 



Computed values of approved fattening rations give a standard for nutritive 

 ratio, i : 8; for potential energy, 108. 



*NOTE. The method which arrives at these standards is, perhaps, shirt-sleeves science. 

 It is more accurate, none the less, than the more formal method of those who may rightly 

 be called the founders of the science of poultry feeding. This practical tests will show. 

 The trouble with students of the science of poultry feeding, has been that they were 

 better scientists than poultry men, and have been establishing standards and deducing 

 principles from the data of experiments, which, from a practical standpoint, were partial 

 failures. Such standards as, nutritive ratio i : 3.5 for young chicks ; i : 4 for laying hens ; 

 i :6for special fattening ; with potential energies ranging from 50 to 90, are not practi- 

 cable. The feeder learns this as soon as he begins to use them. They were suggested 

 by false analogies from cattle feeding standards. Milk, which is a perfect food for a 

 young calf has a nutritive ratio of i : 4. The chicks' digestive organs are adapted to a 

 concentrated food : therefore it was reasoned the nutritive ratio for chicks must be 

 narrower. The contrary of this proposition is true : the nutritive ratio of a concentrated 

 food must be WIDER than of a bulky food. The reasons for this need not be given here. 

 The fact can be verified by examining the table. It will appear-that natural foods having 



