The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-25

know whether their own ratlOns ana
those of their families are too wide, or
well balanced? As many who are not
darymen will probably read this, we
must define these terms. The body
needs certain quantity of each of the
three classes of food elements. The
fats are multiplied by 20 a and placed
with the carbohydrates on one side,
the protein on the other. The scien-
lists find that it takes 81 pounds OF
carbohydrates to equal pound of fats.
"Nutritive ratio" means the relation of
digestible protein to digestible carbo-
hydrates and fat in any food substance.
When the proportion of carbohydrates
and fats as compared to the protein is
large, the food is said to have a "wide"
ratio, and IL the opposite, it is said to
have marrow" ratio. This ratio
busir ess has puzzled many a farmer,
and 1t may puzzle others when applied
to the feeding of folks. But simply
keep in mind that protein has special
work to do in the body which cannot be
done by starchy foods or fats, and that
we need certain proportion of protein
to a given quantity of carbohydrates
and fats, which proportion is called a
Standard" while the relation of the
protein in q food to the other two food
elements is called the "nutritive ratio"
In other words, "Tne nutritive ratio is
the ratio of the protein to the sum of
all the other nutritive ingredients.
The sum of the weight of the
other ingredients divided by the weight
of the protein gives the nutritive ratio"
Protein lie the material out of which
tissue is chiefly made, Protein COM
pounds are the flesh formers, and from
them is made that which goes to make
up and repair the muscles and tendons,
supply the albuminoids of the blood,
etc. On the other hand the carbohy-
drates and fats are the chief fuel in
gradients of the body. They are either
burned as fast as supplied by the food
or are stored up in the body as fat
Protein can be used by the body as
fuel, bnt it is too costly for this pur-
pose. And this brings us to the ques-
ton of economy in foods.
The chief reason why farmers should
study cattle feeding is the economic
al one. The chief reason why people
should study the question of proper
human foods is that of health. But ill
health means pecuniary loss as well as
pain and suffering, 80 that there is
every reason why men and women
should pay good deal of attention 10
the matter of food. Let us in this
paper begin the consideration of econ
omy in foods. 1t has been found in
Massachusetts that out of every dollar
of wages from 81 to Ga cents is paid for
food. That means that more than half
the income of the average wage Garner
goes for food materials. The farmer
does not have to pay out 80 much as
this, but the food of most farmers costs
quite sum. But what is cheap food?
1t is one which furnishes the most d.
gestible nutriment for the least cost.
Then our food must have a sufficient
amount of each food element, must be
properly balanced, and these are the
two points which people need to be es-
pecially enlightened upon. This in
formation can best be obtained by the
use of tables, and 1 have made up the
following from various sources. First
from farmers Bulletin No. 23 l take
the following table, which shows how
much of food material can be obtained
for 25 cents from the foods named.
The first column gives the price per
pound of the food, the second column
gives the number of pounds which can
be obtained for % cents.
PEcUNIARY ECONOMY OF FOOD.