DESCRIPTION OF FEED STUFFS 



mix such a feed at home than to purchase the commercial 

 stock feeds. Such a mixture for poultry can be made of 

 equal parts of red pepper or ground capsicum, groimd 

 allspice, ground ginger, ground cloves and one-half part 

 of ground fenugreek seed, feeding about a tablespoonful 

 to two quarts of mash two or three times weekly. 



MINERAL FEEDS 



Mineral matter is very essential in the feeding of poul- 

 try but is usually sufficiently supplied under normal feed- 

 ing practices. Mineral substances in the fowl's body 

 make up the ash, while the shell of the egg is mineral as 

 well as part of the egg contents. Oyster and clam shells 

 are fed to fowls to provide the lime used in the formation 

 of the egg shell. Oyster shells contain about 97 per cent 

 of carbonate of lime and clam shells have about the same 

 composition. Experiments with calcium feeding to laying 

 hens conducted at the Wisconsin Experiment Station ap- 

 pears to indicate that lack of calcium in the ration would 

 materially reduce the number of eggs laid and similar re- 

 sults were secured at the New York Station at Geneva. 

 The iodin combined with the mineral seems to be of con- 

 siderable importance. Limestone grits to take the place 

 both of oyster shell and of grit are being used in an experi- 

 mental way somewhat. It is doubtful if the calcium is as 

 readily available in the form of grit as it is in oyster shell. 

 Oyster shell contains about 38 per cent calcium, 0.5 per 

 cent magnesium and 0.5 per cent iron with a small amount 

 of sulphur and a little chlorin but no phosphorus. Lime- 



95 



