The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-11-04
Remarkable Results of Feeding.

We extract the following remarks un-
der this head, from late number of the,
Rural New Yorker
Prof w o. Atwater, of Wesleyan
University, Middletown, Conn, is writ
ing series of highly interesting articles
on Science Applied to Farming" The
Professor always suggests valuable
thoughts on the subjects under discus
sion, and it is probably in this rather
than IN an unhesitating acceptance Of
his conclusions that the, chief value of
his essays will be found. This, however
| Is general truth which applies to pretty
much everything that is written about
farming, whether from scientific source
or otherwise. In fact science, so-called,
seems to be unusually unscientifc in its
| treatment of problems which puzzle the
farmer. College. professors generalize
from isolated facts rather more hastily
and crudely than farmers themselves.
The use of a few Scientific terms and
chmeical analyses has bewildering, eE-
fect and it seems to be taken for gran
ted that conclusions so reached by scien-
tifc men mast be accepted as final
In the September number of the
American Agriculturist Prof. Atwater
relates two experiments, and from these
draws the remarkable conclusions that
non-nitrogenous foods decrease the ca
pacity Of animals to digest, while nitro
genoas foods increase this power. This,
IS the abstract expression of the Profess
sor's conclusion. Stated concretely tits
this: Potatoes, which abound in car
bO-hydrates, chiefly starch, prevent the
digestion Of clover hay and are hurtfuL
in any quantity. The figures of giving.
this remarkable result are published in
full in Prof. AtWater's article but as We
do not propose to controvert the eonelu-
sion, it is not necessary for US to copy
them. For aught We know the conclu.
sion 50 clearly laid down may bs the
true one; but IL go, the Professor has
certainly made an extremely lucky
guess. Most surely the two or three ex-
amples on which he relies are entirely
insufficient to prove his position, and it
cannotbe the expression of a scientific
fact. The question is not exclusively
one of chemical analysis, but Of anatomy
and physiology as well, and is varied
widely in its relat' oas to different species
of animals, ard to some extent in differ
ent breeds of the same species.
The Professor is probably mistaken.
Farmers have been using potatoes as
food for stock 4 good many years with
varying, but generally satisfactory re-
suits We have sometimes found pota-
toes very valuable feed, especially for
milch cows and growing stock. A few
potatoes daily, with other food, are gen
era'ly believed to improve digestion and
keep the bowels in prop T condition. We
doubt whether any farmer ever thought
a moderate supply Of potatoes hurtful.
Occasionally, in excessive quantities, or
with animals exceptionally liable to lax
atiVensss, potatoes may have proved in
furious, but he must be an extremely
ignorant farmer who woulI promulgats
general rule from these exceptional
cases that potatoes always impair diges-
ton. Il takes college professor, with
unbounded faith in one or two scientific
analyses and in sharp pursuit Of a uni
versal law, to fall into this absurdity.
1t needs a great many experiments
with different animals, and with the same
animals un Ter d;Fsrent conditions, to
warrant the conclusion which Professor
Atwater has drawn from two or three.
TIE flct that large majority Of far
mers feed potatoes 20 stock and suppose
it pays, is presumptige evidence that he
is wrong Potatoes given to an auimaI
heretofore unused to such food might
well cause it to 50 scour and thus pass
other food imperfsctly digested Some
animals Of laxative habit may never DO
able to eat potatoes without injury. This
is all that Prof-ss Atwate. . expert
msnts prove. Hi5 general Law wouii
rule out all root crops aud most kinds Of
green or su.culsnt food as us, less or
positively hurtful, for very few contain
much nitrogenous substance. Il Is very
easy to carry the professors law 10
reductio I'D GJsurdUm. The wonder IS
that he did not carry it there himself
In the general Importance Of feeding
food rich in heterogeneous
are agreed. This necessity is
confirmed BY the universal experience Of
farmers. We not only believe in feeding
rich food, but think altogether too much
Jf that practice to base It on such sn
nnsubstautial theory as Professs At
waters nowly discovered " law" that
- nisraesseltz foe.ls ara iniurious