458 
On the Composition of Oxen, Slieep, and Pitjs, 
increase, and its relation to that of tlie food consumed : that 
is, considerino: them in the light of manufactured articles, pro- 
duced by the farmer from certain raw materials. 
All the results tend to show a prominent connection between 
the proportion of the mineral matters, and that of the nitrogenous 
constituents of the body — there being a general disposition to a 
rise or fall in the percentage of mineral matter, with the rise or 
fall in that of the nitrogenous compounds. It has already been 
seen, that the bony and fleshy parts were the more developed 
when the food was somewhat highly nitrogenous. 
Cornpositioji of the Carcasses. 
Looking first to the composition of the different carcasses, it 
is seen, that in every instance, excepting that of the calf, there 
was considerably more of dry fat than of dry nitrogenous com- 
pounds. 
In the carcass of even the store or lean sheep, there was more 
than one and a half time as much fat as nitrogenous substance ; 
and in that of the store or lean pig, there was twice as much. In 
the carcass of the hall-fat ox there was one-fourth more fat than 
nitrogenous matter ; and in that of the half-fat old sheep, there 
was more than twice as much. 
Of the fatter animals, the carcass of the fat ox contained twice 
and one-third as much dry fat as nitrogenous substance ; that of 
the fat sheep four times, and that of the very fat sheep, even six 
times as much. Lastly, in the carcass of the moderately fat 
pig, there was nearly five times as much fatty matter as nitroge- 
nous compounds. 
From these results it may, perhaps, be safely inferred, that in 
the carcasses of heef of reputed good condition, there will be 
seldom less than twice as much, and frequently nearly three 
times as much dry fat as dry nitrogenous substance. In the car- 
casses of sheep we should conclude, that the fat would generally 
amount to more than three, and frequently to four or even more, 
times as much as the nitrogenous matter. Finally, it may be 
estimated that in the carcasses of pigs killed for fresh pork, there 
will fre(|uently be about four times as much fat as nitrogenous 
compounds ; whilst, in those fed for curing, the fat will be in a 
considerably higher proportion. 
The fat of the bones bears but a small proportion to that of 
the whole carcass, whilst of the whole nitrogen of the carcasses, 
perhaps not less than one-fifth will be in their bones. 
As the animal matures, the mineral, the nitrogenous, and the 
fatty matters, all increase in ae^?/a/ amount ; but the percentage 
in the carcass of both mineral matter and nitrogenous substance 
decreases, whilst that of the fat increases so as to much more 
