87 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE RECENTLY INTRODUCED 
MANUFACTURED FOODS FOR AGRICULTURAL STOCK. 
By J. B. Lawes, F.R.S. 
In common with other agriculturists, I have been invited, 
by advertisements in the papers, by placards on the walls, 
and by circulars containing numerous testimonials from dis¬ 
tinguished persons, to employ certain manufactured foods 
in the feeding of the animals on my farm. These foods 
frequently cost from 40s. to 50s. per cwt. Taking, for those 
for which it is given, the published average prices for the 
six weeks ending July 17th, 1 cwt. of the following stock 
foods would cost as under : 
s. d. 
1 cwt. Barley 
8 
4 
,, Oats .... 
. 9 
2 
„ Beans 
9 
4 
,, Peas .... 
. 9 
6 
,, Lentils 
10 
0 
,, Oilcake .... 
. 10 
0 
,, Linseed 
16 
6 
„ Hay .... 
. 4 
0 
The manufactured foods thus cost, weight for weight, 
four or five times as much as the most nutritive of the ordi¬ 
nary stock foods on our farms.* Very undeniable evidence 
of the superiority of the former should therefore be required 
to induce the farmer extensively to employ them. But it 
is rather strange that among the numerous testimonials in 
general terms, no evidence based upon exact comparative 
experiment, showing actual weights of food consumed and 
increase in live weight obtained, has been brought forward 
in favour of these costly foods; nor does a reference to the 
circulars give much insight into their composition. 
We do, however, in one circular find the report of a pro¬ 
fessor of chemistry, stating that the food sent to him for 
analysis contained, besides nitrogenous and mineral matters, 
upwards of 50 per cent, of respiratory matter. It is fur¬ 
ther added, that if given to cattle in the proportions stated 
in the prospectus, they must thrive . In reference to the 
above statement of composition, it may be observed that it 
would apply almost equally well to any of the substances, 
* Of course the relation will vary with the market prices; but the 
prices per cwt. can at any time be easily calculated for the purpose of 
the comparison. 
