a single pound, whilst my experimental sheep fed upon swedes and hay increased on an average at the rate of 24 lbs. per week. On further inquiry I have learned that this observation is confirmed by many practical feeders. Mangolds, therefore, ought not to be given to sheep. This peculiarity of mangolds thus shows that a feeding substance which, like this root, is justly esteemed on account of its fattening properties when given to beasts may not possess any great nutritive value when given to sheep. Another direct proof is here afforded of the fact, that the chemical composition of food does not solely determine its adaptation to a particular purpose, for like mangolds, other feeding materials may be rich in nutritive substances, and valuable when given to fattening beasts, whilst it does not agree at all with the constitution of sheep.

TURNIPS AND SWEDES.-The composition of different kind of turnips, and consequently their nutritive value, present us with great variations. But, inasmuch as one and the same variety, when grown upon different soils, often presents us with quite as great variations in the amount of the various constituents which are found in general in turnips or swedes, we cannot attach a fixed nutritive value to each variety of turnip. Indeed practical experience has shown that in one locality a particular kind of turnip succeeds better, and is found to go further as an article of food, than another variety, whilst the same kind of turnip which is much appreciated in one place is held in very low estimation by the farmers of another district. It is thus, strictly speaking, incorrect to pronounce one kind of turnip to be always less or more nutritive than another.

On an average, turnips contain from 89 to 92 per cent. of water, and 8 to 12 per cent. of dry solid matter. Swedes, usually, though by no means always, contain less water than any other variety of turnips; they are generally firmer and keep better than white turnips. On the whole swedes are more nutritious than other species of this root. In white and yellow turnips the per centage of water is generally higher, and averages 90 to 91 per cent. The nutritive value of turnips is often estimated by the amount of nitrogen which they contain. The best roots, however, do not always contain a very high per centage of nitrogen, and it is therefore impracticable to determine the nutritive value of these roots by the amount of nitrogen which they contain. Mr. Lawes, of Rothamsted, indeed, has shown lately in some well-conducted feeding experiments, that those turnips which are richest in nitrogen are by no means the most nutritious. The influence which the soil exercises on the qualities of swedes and turnips is well known to practical men. Thus roots grown on peaty or very stiff clay soils are not near as good as others of the same kind grown on good turnip loam. The climate and season likewise in a remarkable

degree affect the qualities of turnips. As these roots succeed best in a moist climate, we can explain why they produce a more abundant and nutritious crop in Scotland than in the south of England.

Another circumstance which affects the qualities of turnips is the mode of growth. Roots grown rapidly, generally speaking, are not as nutritious, and do not keep so well as turnips, the growth of which is not forced so rapidly by stimulating manures. It has been asserted that turnips grown. with guano are less nutritious than those grown with farm-yard manure, and Dr. Anderson's analyses indeed appear to countenance this very prevalent opinion. However, this must be received with considerable latitude, for although it is quite true that many turnips grown with guano are very watery, and therefore not very nutritious, it does not follow that invariably roots grown with farm-yard manure are more valuable. It depends entirely on the nature of the soil and the quantity of guano employed, whether a watery root is produced or not. As far as our present experience goes, it would follow that a crop of turnips raised entirely by means of a large amount of Peruvian guano is watery, and does not keep well; whereas no difference in the qualities is observed in roots grown with farm-yard manure and turnips raised with guano, if this manure is sparingly employed and the land is in good condition. Peruvian guano, moreover, for economical reasons, ought not to be used in large quantities for raising a crop of turnips, as it is apt to produce abundance of tops at the expense of the bulbs. The cheaper Saldanha Bay guano, however, which contains a very large amount of phosphates, or those constituents which benefit root-crops in a special manner, may be used with advantage, and no fear need be entertained that this description of guano will produce a watery root.

7. GREEN FOOD (Natural Grasses).—The nutritive value of the various natural grasses and of green food in general was formerly determined simply by ascertaining what preparation of substances, soluble and insoluble in water, green food contained. The green food was considered the more nutritious, the greater the proportion of substances which it yielded to water. In this way Sinclair endeavored to determine the nutritive value of most natural and artificial grasses. The method employed by Sinclair, however, is very defective, and yields results which are inconsistent with practical experience. Sinclair's method of analysis and results thus are obsolete, and have to be rejected. The more refined methods of chemical investigation with which we are at present acquainted, and the increased knowledge of the process of nutrition, have enabled Professor Way to supply the agriculturist with a series of trustworthy analyses of most natural and artificial grasses.

Natural and artificial grasses are much more nutritious when in a young state than at the period when they are in full flower, inasmuch as the woody fibre increases towards the period of maturity so extremely rapid that often a few days' difference in the time of cutting grass for hay greatly affects the nutritive value of the latter. For this reason, perhaps, it would have been better to submit all the grasses to analysis at haymaking time. However, a good many grasses have been examined at that period, and we are thus enabled to form an opinion of the qualities of the hay which these grasses will produce.

It is worthy of observation that the grasses of irrigated meadows are much more nutritious than those of non-irrigated meadows. This, no doubt, is due to the disappearance of inferior grasses from irrigated meadows, but perhaps also to the circumstance that the grass on such meadows is always cut earlier than on ordinary meadows.

8. ARTIFICIAL GRASSES.-Under this head we have to consider the composition of the various kinds of clover, sainfoin, lucerne, vetch, rib-grass, burnet, and of millefoil.

Analytical results give rise to several observations:

1. It will be seen that rape is much more nutritious than green rye, and contains as large a proportion of flesh-forming constituents as the best kinds of food which are used in a green state.

2. But not only is rape rich in flesh-forming matters, but it contains also a considerable quantity of oily or fatty matters. It will be observed that the fresh leaves contain of these fatty matters more than a half per cent., and the perfect dry substance above five per cent. So large a proportion of fatty matters, as far as I know, does not occur in any other green food. The occurrence of so considerable a quantity of fatty matters explains at once, in an intelligible manner, the high fattening properties which distinguish rape as a sheep-feed.

Rape requires to be grown on good land. In poor soils it never comes to anything, and it is not worthy the trouble of cultivating. On land of moderate fertility, or on good rich land, an occasional crop of rape, I am inclined to believe, would supply the farmer with a larger amount of feeding material than is afforded in a crop of turnips grown under the same. circumstances. Weight for weight, rape is richer in flesh-forming matters, and especially in fatty substances, than turnips; and as a crop of rape per acre is often heavier than a turnip crop, the more extended cultivation of rape appears to be desirable wherever it is admissible to introduce it.

With respect to the feeding value of green rye, it appears that it is inferior to the better sorts of clover.

9. HAY AND STRAW (Clover-Hay and Hay of Artificial Grasses).—The composition of clover-hay, and the hay of artificial grasses, necessarily is regulated by that of the fresh plants which are grown for hay, and which we have seen differ often considerably in composition. Moreover, the composition of hay, and which in its nutritive qualities, depend very much upon the time at which the plants are cut down, on the state of the weather at haymaking time, and the care bestowed upon the haymaking process. For these reasons it is not practicable to attach a precise nutritive value to clover-hay.

Dr. Anderson states the composition of clover-hay of the second cutting, and grown in the field as follows:

The leaves are much more nutritious than the stems, which decrease rapidly in value at the period of maturity.

MEADOW HAY AND AFTERMATH.-Like clover-hay, ordinary meadow hay and aftermath are liable to considerable variations in composition. The same circumstances which affect the nutritive value of the hay of artificial grasses determine the value of the hay of natural grasses. Taking the mean of 25 analyses of common meadow hay, the composition of the latter may be stated as follows:

The composition of the hay produced by the several natural grasses analyzed by Professor Way has been stated already under the head of natural grasses. It will be observed that the average composition of hay from 23 different natural grasses agrees well with the average composition of meadow hay, which has just been stated. Well made hay, made of grass, cut rather earlier than is done usually, is richer in flesh-forming matters than ordinary meadow hay. The following analyses by Mr. Wolff may represent the composition of meadow hay of superior quality:

On the other hand, the two subjoined analyses by Dr. Anderson may express the composition of inferior meadow hay:

It is generally believed that aftermath is less nutritious than hay. This may, indeed, be the case, for the aftermath, which is made at a later period of the year, when rainy days are more abundant, often remains a long time in the field before it can be stacked, and thus is deteriorated in value by unpropitious weather. When, however, aftermath is cut not too late. in the season, and fair and warm weather allows it being made rapidly into hay it is quite as valuable as the hay of the first cut. That it may be even more nutritious than the first hay, appears from the following. comparative experiments by Dr. Keyser:

These results show that the preparation of flesh-forming matters is greater, and that of woody fibre smaller, in aftermath than in the hay of the same meadow, and that consequently the former is the more valuable of the two. It ought to be mentioned that the hay was repeatedly washed by heavy rains, whereas the aftermath was harvested in very favorable weather, in consequence of which the former had a bleached appearance, whilst in the latter the green color and aromatic taste were preserved; the aftermath, moreover, was softer and finer than the hay.

The differences in the composition of the straw of our cereal, are trifling. There is but a small amount of flesh-forming matters and a large amount of indigestible woody fibre in straw, which fully explains its low feeding value. Oat-straw, however, when still somewhat green at the top, is much more nutritious than the sample, the composition of which is here stated.

Having stated the composition of most articles of food which are employed by the British farmer for feeding or fattening of stock, some