52 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



would seem to indicate that a different argument is used to 

 the consumer. We have here at the Station a two pound pack- 

 age which was recently sent in for examination. Upon this 

 package are printed the following directions: "For Horses, — 

 If your horse is in good condition, one large tablespoonful 

 added to the food, twice daily, will keep him so with less grain. 

 If in poor condition, blood out of order, hidebound, off his feed, 

 has heaves, worms, etc., two tablespoonfulls mixed with each 

 feed will soon put the horse in a thriving condition. Cows — 

 Give two large tablespoonfuls with each feed. This will produce 

 a great increase of much richer milk. Bullocks — Use two large 

 tablespoonfuls for each feed and they will fatten in less time, 

 with less expense and produce beef much superior in quality. 

 They will have good appetites and not cloy." 



From the foregoing directions it would certainly be impos- 

 sible for one to get any other impression than that the Thorley 

 Food Company, in its desire to increase the sale of its goods, 

 is recommending them for use at all times whether the animals 

 are in good or poor condition. 



This experiment furnishes no evidence as to the value of 

 nutriotone as a medicine. In fact, if the Station had been con- 

 vinced that it was only being sold as such, the investigation 

 would never have been undertaken. We do not, however, 

 believe in purchasing these compounds as tonics or medicines 

 for two reasons. One can tell nothing as to the quality, quan- 

 tity, or effect of the ingredients they contain. The cost is, as 

 a rule, about double what the drugs would cost bought alone 

 without the filler. 



If an animal is out of condition and really needs a tonic, the 

 following could be given with safety and would probably be 

 more effective than nutriotone. Pulverized gentian, I lb. ; pul- 

 verized ginger, 1-4 lb.; pulverized saltpeter, 1-4 lb.; pulverized 

 iron sulphate, 1-2 lb. Mix, and give one tablespoonful in the 

 feed once a day for ten days. Omit for three days, then give 

 ten days more. This mixture can be obtained for twenty cents 

 a pound and has probably more than four times the value of 

 most condimental foods in our markets, as a tonic for the rea- 

 son it contains no filler like linseed meal or bran. 



