ON THE MILK OF THE COW. 327 



days only. At the expiration of the time the milk was examined, and found to have the fol- 

 lowing composition : 



Water, 86-57 



Dry, 13-25 



Casein, 3-10 



Butter 5-55 



Sugar 4-60 



I had, I confess, formed the opinion that the sugar would be increased, at the expense of the 

 other elements. It seems that the casein is diminished, but the butter, though also less, is not 

 so much affected as the casein. The quantity of milk if any thing increased, but it is rather 

 more watery. The carrots would have been continued longer but for the return of cold 

 weather, which on the morning of the 19th of January was 10° below zero, a temperature en- 

 tirely unsuited to food which is as watery as carrots and potatoes. The brief period during 

 which the cow was fed in this way renders it necessary to repeat the experiment : I have however 

 become satisfied that the influence of the food on the milk may be seen in forty-eight hours after 

 a change of diet ; still a repetition will be required, in order to confirm or disprove the special 

 influence of the food in this case. 



About this time I observed that the slops or distillers' swill was used for food, both for cows 

 and hogs. It is a thin, gray, watery looking compound, and is distributed hot to the cus- 

 tomers, at about six pence per barrel. It is used to wet the hay, when hay enters into the ra- 

 tions of the cow, or drank if hay is not allowed ; the cow is said to be fond of it. I procured 

 some milk from a neighbor, who fed his cow in part upon this matter. I expected to find the 

 milk watery, and so I was not disappointed, though it was better than I expected. 



Specific gravity, 1025-56. Ash, -77 per cent. 



Water 8S- 19 



Dry, 11-81 



Casein, 3-03 



Butter, . 5-0^ 



Sugar, , 3-75 



I have a favorable opinion of a cow which gives milk made from slops of the distillery : the 

 cow however received her allowance of slops in the most unexceptionable way ; hay moistened 

 or wet with nutritious matter is improved, becoming more digestable and more easily masticated, 

 and of course better prepared for digestion. I have no doubt it is important in the economy 

 of the cow, and of all animals furnished with teeth, that they should be used. All slops, under 

 any circumstances, would ruin a chewing animal, and much of the evil experienced by cows 

 kept in stables in cities is the soft nature of the food with which they are furnished. The 

 disuse of the organs of mastication, and those of locomotion, are undoubtedly the cause of the 

 diseases under which they so speedily suffer. There is another fact which proves the good 



