COMPENSATION FOB FOOD IN MANURE. 415 



ence to the progress of the sheep. A small grain ration in 

 September and October, on green food, will push them 

 faster than a large one in cold weather. 



When sheep are fed upon land needing such fertilization 

 there is the greatest inducement to be liberal in the ration, 

 as an important result is obtained without any real expense. 

 It is also important that such extra food should be chosen 

 as will leave the most valuable fertilizer upon the land. 

 And in this connection it will be well for the American 

 farmer to become better acquainted with linseed oil-cake 

 and decorticated cotton-seed cake. These foods contain a 

 large proportion of oil for fattening, and also a very large 

 proportion of nitrogen, as well as the important mineral 

 constituents of phosphate of lime, potash, etc. By feeding 

 these cakes the animals not only progress rapidly, but the 

 droppings are much more valuable than when on corn 

 alone. For summer feeding, as here mentioned, % Ib. of 

 oil-cake and % Ib. of corn (or, better, wheat bran) to each 

 sheep will be the most valuable ration. 



As I am now illustrating sheep-feeding as adapted to the 

 long-cultivated lands of the older States that have become 

 less fertile for want of proper stock husbandry, it will be 

 necessary to a full discussion that we should consider 

 somewhat accurately the 



COMPENSATION FOR FOOD IN MANURE. 



It is important that the feeder should understand the 

 quantity of manure produced for a given quantity of food 

 consumed by the stock he feeds, so that he may be able to 

 know the return to be expected from this source. The 

 amount of manure produced from a given quantity of food 

 is greater for the sheep than the pig ; but ttiis arises mostly 

 from the greater digestibility of the food of the pig than 

 that of the sheep. 



In estimating the value of the manure made by animals, 



