Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-01-05
AGRTCULTU URAL.
SALT FOR STOCK.


A Correspondent short time since,
Questioned the economy of the use of salt
for cattle. We took occasion in connec-
ton with the communication, to comment
very briefly on the subject, but space
would not allow us, in that number, to
free our minds fully.
Salt in the food of cattle, as we'll as In
our own, is used both as a condiment and
as a means of warding off or modifying
diseases of an epidemic nature. Salt is
as necessary so to preserve the living body
from diseases of various kinds az 1t is TO
preserve the dead body, meats, ect, from
Dutrefaction. Thatitis absolutely neCessa-
ry, is evident from the fact that it is in
variably found in the blood. In the blood
of the human body, for instance, the nat
ural proportion of salt is about half OF
one per cent, and in the ashes, or mine
raj constituents Of this same blood, 1t is
no less than 575 per cent. This proper
ton does not vary, even If the person
does not eat salt.
Ifnot taken in the food, it must of ne
cessity be taken up from other parts of the
body such as the bile, the mucus, the sa J.
iva, TIE urine, and the gastric juice, be-
cause it is constant and necessary ele-
meut In all healthy blood The statistics
/ show that the prevalence of epidemic dis
eases is to be found among those classes
! that neglect the proper use OF salt in
1 their food, and it is to be attributed, Ia
| mart to this neglect The want Of it de-
! prives the feshy parts of the system OF
| their proportion of salt so that they can
not supply this mineral element to the
! blood, and the system IS rendered Llaple
to disease as a consequence.
The same is equally the case with farm
! animals. in which the blood, like that In
| the human system, must have ITS due pro.
norton Of salt. as a necessary condition Of
! the existence of the animal If this pro-
! norton Of salt is not furnished in their
! food. there Is q necessary eXhauataElon OF
! the supply from the juices Ia the system
/ and hence the animal IS put INTO con-
dition in which it is both more maple 20
/ the attacks of disease, and less able 20
! throw it off, when it is attacked
/ This absolute necessity for salt is 80
! we'll understood In Germany, France and
| Austria. that the quantity OF salt given
| to cattle annually is not less than hun
| dred thousaud tons. Its use IS lnereas-
/ ing in Prussia, as it is in other eonhnan-
| tai countries, where it is now thTse-told
greater every year than II @as In Ioo2,
from the fact that It's effect in WaFdinR of
endemic diseases is better known; and it
is nrobable tn at their comparative immu-
pitv from the cattle plague may be at
/ tributed 20 this use, in part, at least.
ADart from what we absolutely know
from the teachings ofsolence, the neoessi-
tv for its use may be infeFr ID from ITS con
sumption among wild cattle, or animals
in state of nature. We know that the
vast herds of cattle upon the pampas OF
South America, and upon the vast pisins
of our own western country, will travel
for MANY miles to the salt licks" as they
are called. to obtain the necessary proper
fion of this elemeutto keep up the health
} of the animal system. Is not tins natu-
raj instinct the best guide tor us Ia our
artificial modes of feeding2
In the comments already alluded to, We
t stated that near the sea.shore the animal
! found. naturally,a much larger proper
Tn a rainy season, in our very moist
5 land, salt is highly beneficial in the man
+, ure, in preventing grains and grasses
r from taking up too much water and So
s. running to straw, instead Of to grain. Il
e makes the stalk shorter and stronger, anIo
= Dromotes the growth Of seed that 10, grain
Massachusetts PloUUIdH.