THE PURCHASE OF FEEDING STUFFS. 



In making purchases of cakes and other feeding stuffs a 

 farmer often experiences a difficulty in arriving at a con- 

 clusion as to what material to buy, or which particular brand 

 of cake to select. 



The circumstances that will determine his selection are very 

 various, but a few of the considerations that deserve attention 

 are indicated on the following pages. The present article, 

 however, is strictly confined to considerations affecting the 

 selection and purchase of foods, and does not touch upon 

 other important matters, such as the compounding of rations, 

 manurial residues, etc., which may be left to be dealt with 

 later. 



In order to buy feeding stuffs intelligently it is necessary 

 that a farmer should be well acquainted with the contents of 

 the commoner foods, and should be in a position to appreciate 

 the value and uses of the various nutrient ingredients. 

 Such knowledge is of service in enabling him to select the 

 foods that are at any time in a favourable position on the 

 market, and so to compound rations that are at once cheap 

 and effective. 



General Composition of Foods. 

 The accompanying arrangement illustrates the component 

 parts of all foods, whether home-grown or purchased : — 



Commencing from the left hand, it will be seen that feeding 

 stuffs are primarily made up of water and dry matter, and 

 that the latter consists of nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous 



Non-nitrogenous J Carbohydrates 

 substances J Fibre 



I. Mineral matter (Ash) 



Nitrogenous 

 substances 



