PART V. (continued 3)
Reading edition
cwt. qrs. lbs.
Linseed-meal, or cake 7 0 0
Locust beans (ground) 8 0 0
Indian corn 4 1 0
Powdered turmeric 0 1 4
Ginger 0 0 3
Fenugreek-seed 0 0 2
Gentian 0 0 10
Cream of tartar 0 0 2
Sulphur 0 0 20
Common salt 0 0 10
Coriander-seed 0 0 5
————————
One ton.
A ton of condimental food manufactured according to this formula will cost only about the same amount as an equal weight of linseed, and will produce an effect fully equal to that of the food which at one time was sold at £60 per ton.
Whatever may be the medicinal virtues of these foods, or however appropriate the term "condimental" which has been applied to them, it is quite certain that their whilom designation "concentrated" was a misnomer. Their composition shows that they possess a degree of nutritive power considerably below that of linseed-cake, and but little, if at all, superior to that of Indian corn.
The following analytical statement, which I published some years ago, will give an insight into the nature of these articles:—
ANALYSES OF CONDIMENTAL FOOD.
Thorley's. Bradley's.
Water 12·00 12·09
Nitrogenous, or flesh forming principles 14·92 10·36
Oil 6·08 5·80
Gum, sugar, mucilage, &c. 56·86 60·21
Woody fibre 5·46 5·32
Mineral matter (ash) 4·68 6·22
——— ———
100·00 100·00
As a ton of linseed-cake contains a greater amount of nutriment than an equal quantity of condimental food, the latter should be clearly proved to possess very valuable specific virtues, in order to induce the feeder to use it extensively. Cattle and horses out of condition may be benefited by its carminative and tonic properties; but if they are, it surely must be a bad practice to feed healthy animals upon a substance which is a remedy in disease. It is asserted, and probably with some degree of truth, that when dainty, over-fed stock loathe their food, they are induced to eat greedily by mixing the "condimental" with their ordinary food. If such really be the case, let the feeder compound the article himself, and effect thereby a saving of perhaps 50 or 80 per cent. in the cost of it. A good condimental food, rich in actual nutriment, and pleasantly flavored, is no doubt a compound which might be used with advantage; but it should be sold at a moderate and fair price.
(25) See Transactions of Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland for 1852.
(26) Zig-zag clover, or Marl grass? Cowgrass is Trifolium pratense perenne.
(27) This gentleman has invented an exceedingly simple but effective furze-bruiser, which I hope soon to see in general use.
(28) H. Le Docte, in Journal de la Société Centrale d'Agriculture de Belgique.
(29) Cellulose is the term applied to the chemical substance which forms woody fibre. The latter is made up of very minute spindle-shaped tubes. In young and succulent plants these tubes are often lined with layers of soft cellulose. In many plants—such as trees—in a certain stage of development, the substance lining the cells is very hard, and is termed lignin, or sclerogen. This substance is merely a modification of cellulose; and both resemble in composition sugar and starch so closely that, by heating them with sulphuric acid, they may be converted into sugar.
(30) One part of oil is equal to 2½ parts of starch—that is, 2½ parts of starch are expended in the production of 1 part of fat.
(31) No difference is here assumed between the nutritive value of sugar and starch.
(32) Unless when Kohl-rabi is cultivated, for the bulbs of this plant may be preserved in good condition up to June. I have advocated the cultivation of the radish as a food crop in the "Agricultural Review" for 1861.
(33) According to some chemists, sugar does not exist in ripe grain, but is produced in it, during the process of analysis, by the action of the re-agents employed and the influence of the air.
(34) Report to Government on feeding cattle with Malt, 1844.
(35) Monthly Agricultural Review, Dublin, February, 1859.
(36) Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, October, 1858.
(37) 3 lbs. of rape-cake, ¾ lb. malt combs, ¾ lb. bran, steamed together with a sufficient quantity of straw.
SECTION IX.—ANALYSES OF THE ASHES OF PLANTS.
(Extracted from the Author's "Chemistry of Agriculture.")
Those numbers marked with an asterisk refer to 100 parts of the substance in its natural or undried state; the remaining numbers refer to 100 parts when dried.
Rape Seed. Flax. Peas. Kidney Beans. White Turnip Seed. Turnip Bulb (Swede). Cucumber. Mangel Wurtzel Seed. Potatoes (tubers). Hop Flowers.
Stalk.Seed.
Potash 25·18 34·96 32·55 43·09 36·83 21·91 39·82 47·52 16·08 35·15 19·41
Soda ... ... 2·51 ... 18·40 1·23 10·86 ... 6·86 5·77 0·70
Lime 12·91 15·87 9·45 4·77 7·75 17·40 12·75 6·31 13·42 2·14 14·15
Magnesia 11·39 3·68 16·23 8·06 6·33 8·74 4·68 4·26 15·22 2·69 5·34
Sesquioxide of Iron 0·62 4·84 0·38 ... 2·24 1·95 0·89 ... 0·40 1·79 2·41
" of Manganese ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sulphuric Acid 0·53 4·99 1·43 0·44 3·96 7·10 13·15 4·60 3·64 3·29 8·28
Muriatic Acid 0·11 ... ... 1·96 ... ... 3·68 ... ... ... 2·26
Carbonic Acid 2·20 13·39 ... ... ... 0·82 ... ... 13·85 17·14 11·01
Phosphoric Acid 45·95 8·48 35·99 40·56 11·60 40·17 6·69 18·03 13·35 20·70 14·64
Silica 1·11 5·60 1·46 0·79 4·09 0·67 7·05 7·12 1·86 3·00 18·56
Chloride of Potassium ... 7·65 ... ... ... ... ... 4·19 ... 1·84 ...
Chloride of Sodium ... 0·54 ... ... 2·80 ... ... 9·06 15·30 6·49 2·95
Total 100·00 100·00 100·00 99·67 100·00 99·99 99·57 100·09 99·98 100·00 99·71
Per-centage of Ash 4·51 5·00 3·05 5·21 0·68 3·98 7·60 0·63 6·58 6·05
* *
The number marked with an asterisk refers to 100 parts of the substance in its natural or undried state; the remaining numbers refer to 100 parts when dried.
Cauliflowers. Hopeton Oats (Grain). Potato Oats (Grain). Husks of Potato Oats. Rye. Hay. Grasses (in flower).
Grain. Straw. Bromus erectus. Lolium perenne. Annual Ryegrass. Avena flavesceus.
Potash 34·39 20·65 }31·56 2·23 31·76 17·36 20·80 20·33 24·67 28·99 36·06
Soda 14·79 ... 8·97 4·45 0·31 10·85 ... ... 0·87 0·73
Lime 2·96 10·28 5·32 4·30 2·92 9·06 8·24 10·38 9·64 6·82 7·98
Magnesia 2·38 7·82 8·69 2·35 10·13 2·41 4·01 4·99 2·85 2·59 3·07
Sesquioxide of Iron 1·69 3·85 0·88 0·32 0·82 1·36 1·83 0·26 0·21 0·28 2·40
" of Manganese ... 0·42 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sulphuric Acid 11·16 ... ... 4·30 1·46 0·83 2·11 5·46 5·20 3·45 4·00
Muriatic Acid ... ... ... ... ... 0·46 ... ... ... ... ...
Carbonic Acid ... ... ... ... ... ... 0·68 0·55 0·49 ... ...
Phosphoric Acid 27·85 50·44 49·19 0·66 47·29 3·82 15·43 7·53 8·73 10·07 9·31
Silica 1·92 4·40 1·87 74·18 0·17 64·50 30·01 38·48 27·13 41·79 35·20
Chloride of Potassium ... 1·03 ... ... ... ... ... 10·63 13·80 ... ...
Chloride of Sodium 2·86 ... 0·35 2·39 ... ... 5·09 1·38 7·25 5·11 1·25
Total 100·00 98·89 97·86 99·70 100·00 100·11 99·05 99·99 99·97 99·97 100·00
Per-centage of Ash 0·71 2·22 2·30 2·60 5·21 7·54 6·45 5·20
*
Those numbers marked with an asterisk refer to 100 parts of the substance in its natural or undried state; the remaining numbers refer to 100 parts when dried.
Broccoli. Cow Cabbage. Kohl-rabi, from chalk soil. Wheat (Grain). Wheat. Barley.
Root. Leaves. Leaves. Stalk. Leaves. Tuber. Grain. Straw. Grain. Straw.
Potash 47·16 22·10 40·86 40·93 9·31 36·27 29·51 25·92 10·78 32·02 14·37
Soda ... 7·55 2·43 4·05 ... 2·84 10·61 ... ... 1·21 0·28
Lime 4·70 28·44 15·01 10·61 30·31 10·20 0·99 3·80 2·44 3·39 8·50
Magnesia 3·93 3·43 2·39 3·85 3·62 2·36 10·60 12·27 3·23 10·99 1·70
Sesquioxide of Iron ... ... 0·77 0·41 5·50 0·38 ... 1·12 0·54 0·15 0·20
" of Manganese ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sulphuric Acid 10·35 16·10 7·27 11·11 10·63 11·43 0·09 ... 1·77 ... 2·22
Muriatic Acid ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Carbonic Acid ... ... 16·68 6·33 8·97 10·24 ... 4·43 6·01 0·48 1·25
Phosphoric Acid 25·83 19·81 12·52 19·57 9·43 13·46 47·55 43·44 3·69 29·92 4·22
Silica 1·81 2·83 1·66 1·04 9·57 0·82 0·11 7·16 64·84 21·12 62·89
Chloride of Potassium 6·22 ... ... ... 5·99 ... ... 1·03 3·96 ... ...
Chloride of Sodium a trace ... ... 2·08 6·66 11·90 0·54 ... 0·42 0·72 4·37
Total 100·00 100·26 99·99 99·98 99·99 99·90 100·00 99·17 99·68 100·00 100·00
Per-centage of Ash 1·01 1·70 0·70 1·24 18·54 8·09 2·32 1·645 5·252 2·22 5·49
* * * *