PEEFAGE. 



Investigation into the laws wliich form the hmis of the ra- 

 tional feeding of live-stock has been most actively and indiis- 

 trioufely canied on of late years, and very important advances 

 have been made, especially in Germany, where this branch of 

 applied science lias been most attentively and perfoistently 

 studied The period since tlie year 1860, in particular, has 

 been a remarkably fraitful one ; within this period the theory 

 of feeding has been plaoed on $ firm, scientific foundation, and 

 the direction of its future progress has been marked out ; and 

 while very much still remains to be done, the results abeady 

 achieved are of great practical importance. 



Unfortunately, however, these results are largely inaccessible 

 to tlie majority of American feeders, and those of them which 

 ai)pear from time to time in agricultural papers and other 

 publications are deprived of much, of their good effect by their 

 necessai^ily fragmentary character. 



It is the object of this work to present these results in a 

 connected and systematic form to American farmers and others 

 interested in stock-feeding, an attempt which, so far as the 

 writer is aware, has not before been made, and a few words as 

 to the scope and aims of such a book will therefore be in 

 place. 



