New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-02
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
IN BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN HEN.
EDWARD ATKINsoN's SUGGESTION FOR IMPEOv.
ING HER DIET AND HER INDUSTRY
Ego; PHODJ-CFK

As AN E6T PRODUCER.
70 the Editor of The Tribune.
sir: You have given some fame the prophet
q, thc ~,clcnce Of Zoology" in connection with the
rc,lorizcd Hen. 1t I, not only cXp,dcn that people
.tould BE- taught how 10 convert an ancient rooster
,,,o a fender clck,n-a comparatively simple matter
- Won only know how-hut ii is also important that
icbt methods sh0ald be- taken to raise hens and
chickens The hens OF this country about to
T., e,uoscd again to the full aud free competition of
,,c paupcr hens Of Canada. Therefore il will be
,,cbt for me do anything in my power TO sustain
"a. domestic hen industry. | submit the following
,.,,msnt for serious consideration:
lien foOd.-ln the course OF my investigations OF
M Good question, the nutrition Of the soil the beast
49,. hon and the man, ! have learned that Il readily
,renar,d and Inexpensive hen food is among tn
,h,nrs most desired 1T the present tine. submit
-, t,llowin. proposition for the conversion int
hen food Of substances winch are now To some extent
either wasted mi,uScd
Skinned m,lk--I do not know how much skinned
mill, is used for the direct fcrtzing Of hay fields
7, some instances II has been pat TO that purpose
;, ,hcrwi,e Intelligent and shful farmers after
,hor had fed a part Of their Skinned milk TO hogs
:, born be remarked that in taking of the
,or, The milk practically only fat is removed. Fat
is carbonaccous material drawn mainly from the
atmosphere. The SKINNED milk contains all the
marc important elements of nutrition. the nitrogen
,he milk sugar, the phospha,cs and other elements
COMPOSING what called the Solds-all drawn from
,be soil These solids in milk the substances
which are mos, silly and most necessary in the fool
Of the COW and most exhaustive upon the soil from
which they are derived. The proporl Jn> Of nutrients
In these solid, readily aSccrtuncd. They also
among the elements Of nutrition most necessary in a
hen food. either for the production Cf poultry or
eggs.
1t therefore occurred TO me that by taking one
pound Of ground stcvcr or the lowest kind of chaG
that can be derived either from the mill or the
-four MILL and adding thereto certain quantity OF
sllmmcd milk | could by slowly Smm"iinG careful,
avoiding u boiling heat, and by gradual cvap Iiation.
bring ont "A cooked food for hens which should cor
respond almost ldcntically in its nutrient properties
10 the best II wheat bread. This did and 1T met
the analysis. But do no, keep hens myself.
Having established the principle. it then occurred 10
me- that there should be added little element of lime
IN the way OF oyster shells, but the lime In oyster
shells + very slowly dissolved IN water. Therefore
at the suggestion OF nv friend, Mr.. Andrew H.
Ward agricultural chemist. adopted little moasScs
q, tho solvent, converting the lime into saccaratc
Of lime which is readily done AMI easily assimlatoi
Having thus theoryed hen food. | put the case
tesorc one Of the most successful breeders. making
tie additional suggestion that he should put In n
strong flavor Of celery seed feed the hen food 10 ducks
and send presently pair of artificial canva>back
ducks. -uihcicn time has not elapsed for the pro
dgclion OF rs Injury bat the hen food hsI , been
Tito recipe for hen food which you gave mo is used
sna hnS G THAT IS HCT great Success sS 'Tis S
you will be- able 10 do something with IL because It
viii BE- a great benefit 10 al who hay" TO deal with
hens. II f. mex pensive food, and j. an extreme
~ good one"
Al The time gave this recipe had some idea that
II might De necessary 10 patent the combination in
ordcT TO make II for the interest for any 10 push
It on whom ! might confer The patent but have
concluded that such course may ut be- Necessary
publish the facts for What they WORTH making
the further SUCCESS Ion thar w.lat he good hen
food NAV also be good COW food and that II better
Ne ~ The Skinned milk which l. now f"i to hogs
and thus partially wasted in the production Of an
excess Of Fat might De converted over In the method
which have named and described into COW bread.
DO fed back to the COWS themselves. thus convert
INK the into butter machine without wasting
the .ub,iance Of the soil. DIt wording by con
version and r"COnvcTSiOn all the mineral elements. the
nitrogen and III" starch. without nparng the fertility
~ the land wasting the substance OF The cow An
this + pure theory. The proportions I'm which
the combination should be- made can readily De as
Certained Of the Agricultural Experiment sta
tons or NAV be- determined bv little experience.
Boston. Feb. "A, 1893. EDWARD ATKINSON.