FEEDING ANIMALS. 



CHAPTER I. 



COMPOSITION OF ANIMAL BODIES. 



THAT the reader may have a clear understanding of the 

 philosophy of growing animals, and of the office to be 

 performed by the food, we deem it necessary to give a short 

 preliminary explanation of vegetable and animal bodies. 



The true relation of animal to vegetable life is not so 

 well comprehended by the mass of farmers as it should be, 

 and a concise statement of these principles will assist them 

 in understanding their application to the various subjects 

 discussed in this book. 



The natural function of plants or vegetables is to absorb 

 the inorganic matter of soil and air, and convert it into 

 organized structures of a complex character. Plants use 

 only mineral food, and advance this by organizing it into 

 a higher form. Their food consists mostly of water, car- 

 bonic acid and ammonia. "Water is composed of oxygen 

 and hydrogen ; carbonic acid is made up of carbon and 

 oxygen ; and ammonia of hydrogen and nitrogen. These 

 four elements are called the organic elements, because they 

 compose the bulk of all plants. The combustible portion 

 of all plants and animals is made up of these organic 

 elements ; the incombustible part is formed of sulphur, 

 phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, sodium, calcium, magne- 



