238 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



or stall of medium temperature with clean bedding, 

 are the chief points essential for success in feeding 

 domestic animals. 



A great deal of the work of investigation which 

 has been done in agricultural practice, it is safe to 

 say, has entirely failed in its object, because the 

 methods of research have been faulty. It is 

 therefore not out of place to mention here the chief 

 rules to be followed in experiments which are being 

 carried out in practice. The conditions under 

 which a feeding experiment is performed must be 

 so arranged that every chance of accident is ex- 

 cluded. In the first place care must be taken that 

 the individual characters of the animals used in the 

 investigation do not disturb the observations — one 

 of the most important conditions. If only a few 

 animals are used this influence cannot be rightly 

 judged nor can allowance be made for it. In 

 scientific investigations the conditions are in many 

 ways more favourable, for there, owing to the 

 examination of all parts of the metabolism, a 

 much more complete control is possible. A con- 

 scientious investigator does not, however, remain 

 satisfied with a single animal when he believes 

 he has made any discovery, and refrains from 

 publishing the result until it has stood the test 

 of repetition. People who have not had a regular 

 training, and are not thoroughly versed in one 

 or the other methods of investigation, attempt 



