344 INTERIM REPORT ON VETERINARY INVESTIGATIONS. 
the month of August, and down to September 7th, when the 
experiment ceased. 
During the entire time the animal did not appear to have 
its health impaired, beyond an occasional slight attack of in¬ 
digestion. Its general condition, however, was but little im¬ 
proved ; the inference being that the cake possessed only 
moderate feeding qualities. 
III .—Linseed CaJce. 
This cake was of the best quality. 
July 17th. Heifer B .—2 lbs of cake were added to the food 
of this animal, which was of the same kind as that supplied 
to Heifer A. As in the other case, no increase was made in 
the quantity of the cake until July 22nd, when 3 lbs. were 
given and continued for the three following days. On the 
26 th the quantity was raised to 4 lbs., at which rate it was 
supplied for the four following days, when it was increased to 
5 lbs. Two days subsequently it was raised to 6 lbs,, and on 
August 4th to 7 lbs. Throughout the remaining part of the 
month, and down to September 7th, when this experiment 
also ceased, the animal was supplied with 7 lbs. daily. During 
the entire period the animal continued in perfect health. No 
loathing of food was at any time produced, nor any disturbed 
condition of the bowels. It was observed that she grew 
rapidly, and maintained a thriving appearance. 
The result of these experiments would seem to negative 
the opinion that the death of the heifer, the subject of the 
original experiment, was due to the quantity of cake of which 
she partook, and that it most likely depended on that special 
lot having undergone some peculiar change, due probably to 
long-keeping. It has often been noticed that oil cake when 
old is not merely deteriorated in feeding properties, but that 
it is really dangerous to the life of animals. The develop¬ 
ment of microscopic fungi has been assigned as the cause of 
this, and probably with much correctness ; but in the present 
state of science it is scarcely safe to speak other than hypo¬ 
thetically on the point.* 
IV .—Feeding Figs with Hardon’s Cake. 
July 19 th, 1871.—A three-months-old pig was supplied 
with \ lb. of Hardon’s cake, mixed with some wetted bran 
# See the ‘Annual Report of the Consulting Botanist,’ p. 211. 
