28 



THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



All vegeta- 

 ble or ani- 

 mal matter 



The ash which, on the average, constitutes about one- 

 twentieth of the plant, and never more than one-tenth 

 of the animal, may contain thirteen of the fifteen de- 

 ments, while the larger proportion of living matter con- 

 sists mostly of the compounds of three or four elements, 

 in no case of more than six or seven. It is strikingly 

 evident that the dominant elements of life, quantity 

 alone considered, are those derived from the air and water. 



WATER 



Water fills a very important place in agriculture. All 

 plant substance, all animal tissue, foods, and nearly aU 

 the material things with which man comes in contact in 

 his daily life are made up of more or less water, or are 



