ON THE MILK OF THE COW. 319 



In all kinds of hay, the sugar and albuminous matters, the dextrine and starchy matters, con- 

 tribute to the formation of milk. The fibre, which is rarely exhausted though not very nutri- 

 tious, contributes to make bulk, and the wax and resinous bodies, and chloropbyl administer to 

 the respiratory functions, and in consumption are expended in the production of animal heat, or 

 in other words, are burned in the system. The inorganic parts furnish the saline parts to the 

 formation of the earthy phosphates and alkalies. The ash has the following composition : 



Silex 53-95 



Earthy and alkaline phosphates, 12 ■ 05 



Carbonate of lime, ■ 25 



Magnesia, 0-04 



Potash, 13-95 



Soda 5-63 



Sulphuric acid 5-50 



Chlorine 1-31 



The hay was mixed with the various kinds of grasses, but timothy and red top predominated. 

 I have already stated the quantity of hay and water consumed per day ; I shall now state the 

 amount of milk which the cow gave while hay constituted her whole nutriment. The whole 

 amount of milk given in seven days, including the last days of November, was 69 pounds, 

 nearly equivalent to 10 pounds per day. About one pound more was given in the morning 

 than evening. The milk of the 12th of December gave the following composition : 



Water, 86-19 



Dry or solid 13-81 



Casein, 6 ■ 17 



Butter, 5-64 



Sugar 2-02 



The milk produced from hay may therefore be regarded as good. There is a preponderance 

 of casein, less sugar, and the usual amount of butter. The continued influence of hay, however, 

 on the quantity of milk, resulted in its diminution to about 4 pounds in the morning and 3 

 pounds at evening. If hay could be softened by soaking in water, or if cut and wet or moistened 

 for a few hours previously to being given to the animal, its nutritious matter would be extracted 

 in less time, and with less labor for the digestive organs, and moreover, an increase of nutri- 

 ment would be obtained. 



I made about this time an analysis of morning's and evening's milk, for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the difference in composition, if any. These analyses gave differences, but I have 

 some doubts in regard to the constancy of those differences. I will give them in this place, 

 although I do not know that the inquiry is a matter of much moment. 



