FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 273 



Next referring to Diagram II., showing the relative amounts 

 of the different constituents consumed to produce 100 lb. 

 increase in live-weight, there is again no uniformity in the 

 amounts of nitrogenous substance so consumed. There is, 

 however, great uniformity in the amounts of the non-nitro- 

 genous substance consumed ; and there is, in the majority of 

 cases, about the same uniformity in those of the total organic 

 substance consumed. 



It should be understood that, in these diagrams relating to 

 pigs, as in the table relating to the experiments with sheep, it 

 is the amounts of the crude nitrogenous, the crude non-nitro- 

 genous, and the crude total organic substance, as determined 

 by the methods of analysis already described, and which were 

 the only ones practicable at the time, that are represented. 

 Of course, therefore, the indications of the actual results have, 

 as in the case of those with sheep, to be interpreted with due 

 regard to the known facts in each case. But, to meet ob- Re-caicu- 

 jection, we nearly twenty years ago re-calculated the results, ^# 5 . 

 and re-constructed the diagrams, making correction for in- 

 digestible or non-available constituents in the various foods, 

 in accordance with the then published tables of Professor 

 Emil von Wolff; and more recently, as in the case of the 

 experiments with sheep, we have had them again re-cal- 

 culated according to his subsequently revised tables, already 

 referred to. 



It may be stated that the diagrams, as first re-constructed, Former 

 entirely confirmed the conclusions previously drawn ; and l™firme°cL 

 indeed illustrated the points brought out by those at first, 

 and now again given, even more strikingly still. That is, they 

 showed a wider range in the amounts of the nitrogeous sub- 

 stance consumed in the different experiments ; with one or 

 two easily explained exceptions, a less variation in the 

 amounts of the non-nitrogenous substance ; and especially a 

 less range in the amounts of total organic substance con- 

 sumed. The two methods showed, moreover, with some 

 obviously necessary exceptions, comparatively little difference 

 in what is called the " nutritive ratio," that is, the relation of 

 the non-nitrogenous to the nitrogenous constituents. As it 

 is impossible on this occasion to give and discuss both sets 

 of results, it seems best, after this explanation, to adhere to 

 the originally obtained and recorded results which led to 

 the conclusions arrived at so long ago, rather than to adopt 

 corrections based upon factors as yet not sufficiently estab- 

 lished. Nevertheless, it is satisfactory to find that, applying 

 the best methods of correction which subsequent investiga- 

 tions suggest, the conclusions formerly drawn are confirmed 

 and emphasised, rather than in any way vitiated or modified. 



VOL. VII. S 



