Nebraska advertiser., 1862-11-15
From Moore's Rural New-YOtker.l .-e-
Value OF FOOd...ItS Nutrition.

Some of our readers will no doubt, re.
member what we said last week of the
causes which affected the apparent nutri-
tion of food, of one of those, causes tc
which we called especial attention-the
ease or difficulty of digestion, Corn tina
passes through the stomach undigesled
is of no more value than so much corn
cob or wood. To. obtain the full valu e
of the food given to- an animal il must
not only be put in such a coldltion by
grinding, OF. soaking, that it can be d.
gested by a healthy animal, but the stom-
ach of the animal must be IN healthy
slate, ready for its appropriate work.
Neglect of these points has caused many
TO form very unjust conclusions, and we
urge all to exercise care. so that their
experiments, when completed, may give
no "uncerlain sound" but announce i'm
portant truths, that will benefit all who
hear and heed. The nutrilive effects of
food are depend ant on other circuh,stan-
ces than the health of the animal, and
the condition of the food, such as the
purposes for which il is fed; whether the
animal is young and growing, or of ma
1ure age; the mode in which il is housed
and protected from the cold, &C.; so that
it will be apparent that to establish a
scale exhibiting the comparative nutri-
ton of feeding substances, is work of
difficulty and liable to mistakes; and our
readers must not be surprised should their
experience differ somewhat from the es-
Inmates given. Although we make this
acknowledgment. which truth demands,
th- knowledge already gained on this
subject is of great value. as il furnishes
a useful, though not infalllble guide.
To make comparative estimate of the
value of food, it is necessary that some
article well known and used generally,
should b. taken as a standard, or starung
point. with which 10 compare others
Meadow or Timothy hay has been select
ed as the article best adapted to this pur
pose, aud is presented by the number 90
Any article like potatoes, containing one
half as much nulriment as hay. That Is
pound for pound. Is put down at 2OO
showing that II would require 300 pounds
of potatoes, or any article containing the
like amount of nutriment, TO produce the
same result as 100 pounds of hay. A
pound of corn contains about twice as
much nutriment as a pound of hay, and
is therefore put down at so, showing that
fifty pounds of corn will produce the same
effect as 100 pounds of hay. About three
pounds of carrots are equivalent to one
pound of hay, and this root is therefore
found in the tables at 300, though the
experience of some has shown they are
of more value than these figures Indicate.
The difference may be attributed to some
of the causes to which we have before
alluded. Indeed, if any animal has been
kept on dry food for some time. the with
holding of few pounds of hay each day
and for each one substituting two pounds
of carrots, will be found beneficial. Not,
perhaps, because the carrots are eqnlva-
lent IN NUTRITIOUS matter to the loss of hay
but because an animal in this condition
Graves moist, refreshing food, like the
carrot or beet, and its health is thereby
improved. and its comfort secured. Will
this explanation all will be able to under
stand the table below, which We have
selected from the hest authorities: