TRANSLATIONS FROM CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 685 
and an abundant secretion of milk to the cow. As to their 
provender, it is less rich in carbon than that given to animals 
which are submitted to hard work. Such food has nothing 
within it in particular, except it contains a large quantity of 
water; while that which gives to horses the necessary 
strength and vigour for fast action, and for drawing heavy 
loads, must contain those elements of combustion which are 
required by the respiratory organs when under great exertion 
and fatigue. This is easily demonstrated. Of those rations 
which are given to fattening cattle, and of which analysis has 
been made, the proportion of carbon to that of nitrogen was 
from 260 to 291 of carbon to 100 of nitrogen ; while those ad¬ 
vocated by M. Warnes, who with a mixture of linseed and 
barley formed rations, contained 469 of carbon to 100 of 
nitrogen. These were found too strong to produce good 
meat, and to excite the appetite in animals gorged with food 
and weakened by rest. Rations are considered very good 
when the proportion of carbon is 175 to 100 of nitrogen. In 
oil-cake, which is so advantageously used for fattening, 
the proportions are 160 to 100, while in meadow hay 
there are 330 to 100, and in oats 334 to 100. Rations which 
are generally given to animals destined for the butcher would 
not suffice for horses doing even slow work. By the quantity 
of carbon contained in oats and hay, we are able to estimate 
the difference in the food of the post- and the race-horse, as com¬ 
pared to that of the ox fed for the butcher. That of the 
horse contains at least 327 of carbon to 100 of nitrogen. This 
amount of carbon and hydrogen is necessary to keep up the 
excited respiration during the daily task of four or five hours, 
fast work. Nothwithstanding the richness of the rations in 
carbon, post- and race-horses are never very fat, but they have 
a great amount of vigour and endurance. Experiments show 
that whenever, either for economy or otherwise, lucerne and 
barley cake are substituted for meadow hay and oats, in the 
same proportion horses cannot do their work ; and that rations 
in which the carbon to the nitrogen is only 208 to 100 are 
not sufficient for post-horses; but when the carbon amounts 
to 320 to nitrogen 100, these will sustain them for an in¬ 
definite period. How does the first act? It must be in the 
difference of the composition of its constituents, there being 
an excess of nitrogen in them. 
On another occasion, 3 kilogrammes of barley were sub¬ 
stituted for 3 of oats, the hay being in both cases the same 
(9 kilogrammes). The first contained 262 of carbon to 100 
of nitrogen, the latter 328 of carbon to 100 of nitrogen. The 
post-horses to which this substitution was given, were unable 
