THE NUTRIENTS AND N ('TUITION 327 



XXXVIII, was 1 to 8.6 on the basis of the nutrients con- 

 sumed, but was 1 to 9 on the basis of the nutrients dif;ested. 

 It is the latter ratio in which the feeder is interested: 



Table XXXVIII. — A Comparison of the Nutrients Consumed on 

 AN Exclusive Diet of Corn, and the Nutrients Digested Per Hen 

 FOR Birds Weighing Between Three and Four Pounds, on the Basis 

 of One Hundred Pounds Live Weight. 



Organic Protein, Fat, Nitrogen-free Nutritive 

 matter, extraet, ratio. 



Pounda. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. 



Consumed ... 4. S3 0.53 0.28 3.S9 1 to 8.6 



Digested . 4.19 0.4.5 0.24 3 4G 1 to 9 . 



Nutritive ratios are referred to as wide, medium, or narrow, 

 when the difference between the first and second factors 

 of the ratio is great, medium, or sHght, respectively. 



Just what the exact limits of a wide or narrow ration are 

 is not fixed with definiteness. For convenience in this 

 work, any ratio less than 1 to 5 will be referred to as narrow 

 and any ratio having a greater proportion of protein than 

 1 to 7 will be called wide. A ratio lying between 1 to 5 and 

 1 to 7 will be called medium. 



An illustration of the relation which niay exist between a 

 proper nutritive ratio and production is given liy \\ . 1'. 

 Wheeler,' who reports that a nutritive ratio of 1 to 4.'.] gave 

 21 per cent more eggs during the more productive months, 

 with the heavier breeds, then did a ratio of 1 to .5.8. I lens of 

 the lighter breeds gave 20 per cent more eggs where the latter 

 ratio was used. 



The nutritive ratio in and of itself, however, is not so 

 much emphasized as a guide in feeding practice as in times 

 past. This is for two reasons. The first is that various pro- 

 teins vary so widely in their nutritive desirability, that a 

 proper nutritive ratio from the stan(l]K)int of some proteins 

 might be a very improper one with others. Thus the most 

 efficient nutritive ratio for a ration whose chief source of 

 protein sujjply was meat scrap, might very well diti'er from 

 that where the chief source of protein was powdered milk. 



' Twenty-si.'vth Annual Report, New York Experiment Station. 



