The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-03

make nitrogen, the most 1t can do
is TO assimilate that which Is given
il. The substances that contain no
nitrogen but which are rich in
carbon serve the purpose OF keep
ing up the heat in the animal body.
while the heterogeneous substances
serve to nourish it..
This brings us TO the second OF
our important principles, VIZ, fat.
AS nitrogen is not contained IN
fat, we pass this By pauslng merely
to remark that the accumulation
of fat in an animal, is dependant
first upon whether its foods are
rich in Carbon, and second upon
the exercise it takes.
If an animal is fed upon sub
stances rich in Carbon. IN the form
Of starch, gum, sugar, &c., 1T Will
increase in fat for the following
reason, the amount of oxygen it IN
spires will be insufficient to COM
bine with a great portion of the car
bon, and hence a portion OF the car
bon which fails to pass off as car
bonic acid will so to the forming
of fat. This is the general principle
merely, and there are many things
influencing the results stated.
Bones are constructed of an or
ganic principle KIN wn as Ossein,
stiffened by mean Of the earthly
phosphates, among which Tri-basic
phosphate of Lime is the most i'm
portant. Ossein yields Gelatin on
boiling with water, and gelatin
contains Is per cent. Of nitrogen.
The extraction of gelatin from
Bones is a matter of great interest,
and is accomplished in two ways
of which the first is perhaps the
best. According to this the bones
are crushed, enclosed in metallic
cylinders and acted upon with high
pre- ssure steam, which attacks and
dissolves the animal matter more
effectually than boiling water.
According to the second plan the
Bones are acted upon with Muriatic
(Hydrochloric) acid, which dis
solves out the earthly phosphates,
and leaves the Gelatin behind which
is then extracted by means of boil
ing water.
We see that there is about as
much Nitrogen in bone as in blood.
In the blood in combination with
Carbon, Hydrogen Oxygen, Sui
phur and Phosphorus as Fibrin and
Albumin; in bone it exists with
Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen as
Gelatin, and in both it is derived
from the same source, from the
food we eat.
Our fourth great principle Of the
animal body, lean muscular tissue
: &C., is more complicated than any
of the others, as there are man,
different substances that enter a:
constituent parts. Yet nervous
substance, elastic tissue. the skin
membranes. all contain Nitrogen
in large quantity.
8 Just how the Fibrin and .Albu
min in the bloc; are changed into
. muscular fibre, al re changed int
! blood, is more perhaps than W,
+ know. The Nitrogen in the foot
we eat passes into the blood, ant
from thence into muscular fibre
f into the bones rs Gelatin into tn
brain, and nerves, and cellular It's
sue in various forms such as Prota
i gon, Albumin, Elastin &c. Blu
q how these changes are wrought il
v that most complex organism, tn
f human body, who can tell :
Some of the relations that plant
sustain to animals, as well as som
h of the sources whence Mir ,gen !
d obtained for the use Of animals
l. we hope to discuss in another art
lie Gle. Its application to crops toe
lie we hope to consider briefly.
ly w. B. P.
l. >