Grain Food. 217 



shrunken . wheat, the screenings from the better and perfect 

 grain, used ; and also the smaller and inferior samples. 

 The hest contains 3 per cent, of fat, 12 per cent, of flesh- 

 forming, 70 per cent, of warmth-giving, and 2 per cent, of 

 bone-making properties, with very little husk or fibre, and 

 it is, therefore, one of the best winter foods for general 

 purposes, though not suitable for fattening. It may be 

 interesting to many of our readers to learn that the small 

 wheat, or screenings, is, as a rule, better for poultry feeding 

 than the best quality of grain, as it is richer in flesh-forming 

 qualities than is the other. When ground up for poultry 

 feeding, the meal so made should be mixed with some other 

 kind, such as barley meal or ground oats, as it is rather too 

 stiff and pasty when the water is added to it, if given alone, 

 but if so mixed this will be prevented. 



Indian corn, or maize, is a food which has always been 

 employed in this country, chiefly because of its cheapness, 

 for it is undoubtedly, or has been, the cheapest of all grains. 

 It has more fat or oil than any other, namely, 8 per cent. ; 

 it has also 12 per cent, of flesh-forming, 65 per cent, of 

 warmth -giving, and 1 per cent, of bone-making qualities ; so 

 that its tendency is to lay on fat, and the want of bone-form- 

 ing substances makes it by no means a well-balanced food, 

 except for fattening purposes. The free or exclusive use of 

 it often does harm, as it promotes the formation of internal 

 fat, which soon checks laying, and, if long-continued, induces 

 apoplexy and probably diseases of the internal organs. It is, 

 however, an admirable fattening food, but, when used for 

 this purpose, should be ground and swelled with scalding 

 water and fed in alternation with whole corn or some other 

 grain. It is admirable for feeding whole to all kinds of poul- 

 try for the night feed, especially in cold weather, as it digests 

 slowly and keeps them warm all night. Corn or cornmeal 

 should only be given to laying fowls in cold weather, and even 



