4G8 On the Composition of Oxen, Sheep, and Pigs, 
average of all the other estimates gives 0"()() per cent, mineral 
matter, 6"-i4 per cent, nitrogenous compounds, 71*5 per cent, of 
fat, and 78*0 per cent, of total dry substance — that is, less 
mineral matter and nitrogenous compounds, and several per cent, 
more fat and total dry substance than in the case of the single 
analysed fat pig. Most of the animals, the composition of whose 
increase is thus estimated, were, in fact, in a somewhat further 
advanced condition than the single animal, both at the commence- 
ment (as was shown by the original weights) and at the conclu- 
sion, as is seen by the percentages of carcass in fasted live-weight 
recorded in the Table. 
According to the figures in the Table, the percentage of 
■mineral matter in the increase of the pigs was in all cases very 
small ; in fact, in many cases, there was apparently a loss of 
mineral matter during the fattening process. From the known 
tendency of the pig to fatten rather than to grow, when liberally 
fed with the current fattening food-stuffs, we should expect that 
the bony framework — the chief storehouse of mineral matter — 
would develop less in its case than in that of either fattening 
sheep or oxen. Still it is not safe to assume, upon the evidence 
of the analysis of only two animals, that there would frequently 
be an actual reduction of the total mineral matter of the body 
during the fattening period. The more probable alternative is, 
tliat for the purpose of the application of their composition to 
the cases in the Table, the analysed fat pig was, compai'ed with 
the analysed leaner one, of somewhat too light a frame. 
The following Table shows, at one view, the mean I'csults of 
the numerous estimates of the composition of the increase whilst 
fattening, for each of the three descriptions of animal — oxen, 
sheep, and pigs : — 
Table XVI. 
Estimated per cent, in Increase whilst Fattening. 
CASES. 
Mineral 
Matter (Ash). 
Nitrogenous 
Compuunds 
(iiry)- 
Fat. 
Tottil Dry 
Substance. 
1-47 
2 '34* 
0'06t 
7-69 
7M3 
6-44 
66-2 
70- 4 
71- 5 
75-4 
79-9 
78-0 
0-53 
7-7G 
63-1 
71-4 
Mean 
1-10 
7-26 
67-8 
76-2 
* Probably 0'5 per cent., or more, too higli, owing to the amonnt of adventitious matters in the 
"Wool of the sheep analysed, particularly the fatter ones ; see te.\t, pp. 459, 460, and 4C7. 
f Probably too low ; see text above. 
It may probably be estimated that the increase of liberally fed 
