28 Revorr or DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY OF THE 
inferiority of fhe two rations. The poorest was also deficient in 
mineral-matter. 
The rations containing “milk albumen” were more palatable 
and seemed more healthful than the others, but owing to the 
higher price for this food it was not profitably used in the de- 
sired quantity. The rations containing animal meal were more 
profitably fed. 
The results and observations in general, like those from other 
trials, show a greater disadvantage in the free use of foods of 
uncertain palatability and healthfulness during earlier stages 
of growth than at any other time. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The question as to the source of additional protein for the 
ration continues to be an important one. This is particularly 
true in poultry feeding, when large flocks are kept in confine- 
ment. It is especially important that there shall be no lack 
of this essential constituent of the food at the time for rapid 
growth by the young. . 
Because the ordinary grains and coarse foods which must usu- 
ally constitute the bulk of the ration do not supply a satis- 
factory proportion of protein various by-products are regularly 
fed. Several different forms of animal products are in quite 
common use, as well as gluten meals and other highly nitrogen- 
ous materials. Foods which differ little in protein content .as 
ordinarily determined, or in cost, do not correspond closely in 
efficiency. Sometimes palatability seems to be the chief cause 
for difference, sometimes the condition of the food as affecting 
digestibility. Often the reasons for different effects are not very 
obvious. At times hardly perceptible taint in a food will render 
it unsafe for the younger chicks although it can be fed with the 
best of results to older fowls. The adaptability of some foods 
can not be very satisfactorily ascertained except by observing 
the effects of their use. For this reason the results of a few 
feeding trials not previously reported, may be of interest. 
EXPERIMENT WITH DUCKLINGS. 
CONDITIONS. 
In one experiment three similar lots of ducklings were fed 
during the period of most rapid growth on rations in which 60 
