we 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
also contain a nitrogenous alkaloid, called avenin, 
which possesses the property of acting as a nerve 
stimulant. It is on this account that horses large- 
ly fed on oats are so spirited. The salts or ash 
that these substances contain are all needed in 
the animal body in order that they will grow, and 
also support the system in older animals. Oats is 
the grain par excellence for the horse,and peas for 
the pig. Corn, alone, has not sufficient albumin- 
ates and salts and has too much starchy substance, 
which is converted into fat, and is therefore a 
grain which is not fit food for a young growing ani- 
mal. It is necessary to feed other materials which 
contain albuminates to supply the deficiency ofthis 
- material in the corn, And I am satisfied that the 
prevalence of cholera among pigs in the corn grow- . 
ing States is in a great part due to the feeding of 
too much corn. In Canada, where the pig is 
mostly fed on peas and oats and the refuse of 
wheat and rye, cholera is unknown. It is true 
there have been a few cases of cholera in Canada, 
but it has been mostly on the borders where it was - 
supposed to have been brought over the river, and 
some years ago at Montreal, supposed to have 
been caused by feeding on distillery slops. Messrs. 
Lawes and Gilbert made a number of experiments 
on feeding in England and found that pigs fed ex- 
clusively on corn would frequently swell in the 
neck, They did not wish to discontinue the exper- 
iment, and therefore resolved to try the effect of 
putting some mineral substance in a trough 
within the reach of the pigs. They made a mix- 
