292 Annual Report of the Consulting Chemist for 1880. 
I be<? to direct once more attention to the fact that decorti- 
cated cotton-cake, unless broken up much finer than linseed- 
cake usually is, and gjiven in more moderate proportions, best in 
conjunction with maize or barlej-meal, is liable to do harm to 
stock. Decorticated cotton-cake contains from 38 to 42 per cent, 
of albuminous compounds, which is far too larg-e a proportion of 
nitrogenous constituents in a food to be suitable for herbivorous 
animals. In consequence of this excess of albuminoids, decor- 
ticated cotton-cake, especially if hard pressed and given in coarse 
bits, is indigestible, and not unfrequently does serious mischief 
to fattening bullocks or sheep. Young stock kept on poor 
pasture, and having plenty of exercise, seldom suffer in health, 
but are greatly benefited by an allowance of 2 to 3 lbs. of decor- 
ticated cotton-cake per head of cattle daily, or ^ lb. per head of 
sheep, whilst at the same time the pasture-land is more improved 
by the consumption upon it of decorticated cake than by that 
of linseed- or rape-cake. 
During the past season nearly a dozen cases were referred 
to me in which decorticated cotton-cake proved more or less 
injurious to cattle and sheep, and was suspected to contain some 
poisonous ingredient. The examination of the cake, however, 
showed in every instance the absence of all poisonous or in- 
jurious matters, and as the condition of the cake, moreover, was 
good, fresh, and all that could be desired, I believe no injurious 
effects would have followed its use, if, in accordance with my 
oft-repeated recommendations, it had been supplied to the stock 
broken up fine, in moderate proportions, and mixed with Indian 
corn or barley, or other meals comparatively poor in nitrogenous 
and rich in starch and analogous non-nitrogenous constituents. 
I would also once more direct attention to the fact that lin- 
seed-cakes which are made from anything but clean linseed, 
still continue to be sold as " pure " or " genuine " linseed-cake. 
There are, of course, degrees of purity of the seed of which the 
cake is made, and although the purchaser of cake can hardly 
expect to obtain the finest quality if he pays 10s. or 15s. less 
per ton than the market price of best pure linseed-cake, it is, 
nevertheless, a reprehensible practice of oilcrushers to brand 
cake " pure," or to sell cake as genuine linseed-cake, which 
they know is made from foul or badly screened linseed, often 
containing a large proportion of small weed-seeds, sand, and 
dirt. 
In the Quarterly Reports during the past season, I have 
reported several cake-adulteration cases, and alluded to the 
poisonous character of a linseed-cake in which I found castor-oil 
beans. 
Most of the analyses and reports I have reason to believe have 
