Condimental Food, 477 



vor is agreeable to cattle, they eat their food with more eager- 

 ness when thus spiced, and the compound seems to restore their 

 appetite when it has been failing. The tonics and alteratives 

 may also act, occasionally, favorably on the system ; but, as 

 we have previously urged, the habitual use of any such mix- 

 tures will entail unfortunate results on the health of the stock. 

 In England fortunes have been made by selling what are 

 called "condimental foods." These are ground feeds of 

 various kinds, to which palatable and stimulating sub- 

 stances have been added. Horses, cattle and sheep con- 

 sume them greedily; and added to their ordinary provender 

 from time to time, their use is no doubt often productive of 

 benefit ; but by no means to the extent that the exaggerations 

 of their advertisers would have us believe. The general 

 composition of these foods may be seen from the following 

 receipt, which is given by Dr. Charles A. Cameron, in his 

 Stock Feeder^ s Manual, as making a mixture equal, if not 

 superior, to any secret combination for the purpose there is in 

 the market. The quantities given make one ton : — 



No. 473. 



2240 " 

 DIETS FOR FATTENING. 



The direct use of fats and oils has been found, in England, 



to be a great aid to the speedy and economical fattening of 



• animals. An ounce of fish oil, daily, to a sheep or pig, or a 



half pint to a»steer, will increase the accumulation of fat so 



