ANALYSIS OF DRY MATTER. 



100.00 



The material was received in a bag marked " The Concentrated 

 Feed Company, Boston, Mass." A circular collected of the 

 agent at South Deerfield, contains a statement of an analysis 

 of the article, which as far as essential points are concerned, does 

 not materially ditfer from our own, above reported. 



The material was of a good mechanical condition and consisted 

 evidently of a mixture of several ingredients ; among them was 

 noticeable common salt. An actual test showed the presence of 7.4 

 per cent, of chlorine, which indicates the presence of from 11 to 12 

 per cent, of common salt. On inquiry it was learned that " The 

 Concentrated Feed " sold at $8.00 per one hundred weight, a most 

 remarkable price for an article of fodder without any stated guaranty 

 of its various ingredients, nor any statement of its rate of digestibil- 

 it3' under some specified condition. The selling price of the article 

 seems to be based largely on the merits of the invention of the com- 

 pound. It would be no difficult task to compound from our most 

 reputed concentrated feed stuffs, even without a liberal addition of com- 

 mon salt, an article, wiiich would con form to the composition claimed by 

 the manufacturer of ''The Concentrated Feed," and at the same 

 time could be sold with a good compensation to the agent, even in 

 remote localities, at a less price per ton, than " The Concentrated 

 Feed " sells for per five hundred pounds. 



From my remarks in previous pages it must be apparent, that a 

 mere analysis of a fodder article without any further reliable inform- 

 ation concerning its source and its special character, is no safe basis 

 for a decision regarding its particular value for feeding purposes. 

 The practice of buying compound feedstuffs in the general market, 

 without a sufficient actual knowledge regarding the kind or the char- 

 acter of its various ingredients, ought to be decidedly discouraged ; 

 for the farmer, who pursues that course, leaves his best interest to 

 mere chance. To feed commercial compound feedstuffs without 

 some more jjositive knowledge of the article which constitutes them, 

 can impart but little useful information for future operation beyond 

 the lesson, to be less credulous hereafter. 



