SOIME OF THE AJSTIMALS FED AND SLATIG-HTERED AS HUMAN FOOD. 535 
lots of never less than four, and in some cases forty or more. These animals vrere all 
carefully selected for the purposes of experiment ; their weights were accurately taken 
at the diffeient periods; and, in most cases, the amount and the composition of the food 
they consumed were determined. The compositions applied in the calculations to the 
Ofigmal final weights respectively, of the different lots, are adopted, or deduced, from 
those of the Sheep actually analysed, according to the reputed condition of the animals 
at the commencement and the conclusion of the feeding experiments. In Class I. (see 
Table IX. j, laige numbeis of animals were fed for a considerable period of time, from 
a fair store to a fair condition. Accordingly, the composition of the “store 
Sheep” analysed, is applied to the original weights, and that of the “ fat Sheep” to their 
&ial weights. In Class II. the animals were fed from the “/«C’ to a very fat" con- 
dition. In these cases, therefore, the original weights are calculated at the composition 
of the “fat Sheep,” and the final weights at that of the “ extra-fat Sheep.” In Classes 
III. and IV. the animals were taken in a partially fattened condition, and fed to that of 
moderate fatness. The per cent, of carcass in fasted live-imight as given in the Table, 
shows pretty well the comparative final condition of the different lots ; and this was 
obviously not very mdely different, in Classes I., III., IV., and V. In Class III., how- 
ever, the period of the feeding experiment was comparatively short ; and in Class IV., 
though the period was longer, the food was not so well adapted ; so that, in both these 
cases, the proportion of increase to the original weight is seen to average only about 
half as much as in Class I. Owing to the circumstances here enumerated, the compo- 
sition of the original weights of the Sheep of Classes III. and IV. is taken at the mean 
between that of the “store,” and that of the “fat Sheep,” analysed; and that of their 
final weights at the composition of the “fat Sheep” itself. From considerations of a 
similar nature, in Class V. the original weights are taken at a composition between that 
of the “ store and that of the “ fat Sheep ” — but supposed to be two-thirds, instead of 
only one-half, advanced towards the fatter state. The final weights are, as in most of 
the cases, taken at the composition of the “ fat Sheep ” analysed. 
It will not, of course, for a moment be supposed, that the differences indicated in 
Table IX., between the composition of the increase of the animals of different breeds, 
or those fed on different foods, are really to be attributed to the variations in those con- 
ditions as there described. It is enough to claim, that the results, as a whole, give us 
the best indication of the probable composition of the increase of fattening Sheep, at 
present at command. 
To^ go to the figures (see Table IX.), the increase of fattening Sheep appeared to 
contain from 2 to 3 per cent, of mineral matter. Either of these estimates is, however, 
^ doubtedly too high. The error is due to the amount of adventitious mineral matter 
e ash of the wool, as before referred to, which happened to be the greater in 
that of the fatter animals. It was still thought better to record the numbers in the 
a e as calculation gave them, as it would thus be seen (with the explanation given) 
e ow what amounts the truth must really fall. In fact, excluding altogether from the 
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