Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-02-06
USE OF SALT AS FOOD
Its Impurities are chiefly elements Of
Value to Plant Growth, While in
Moderate Quantity Il Aids
Dine stinn L., A .,ir,, L.

Moderate Quantity II Aids
Digestion In Animals
Pure salt is composed of only two
simple element. sodium and chlorine.
39.4 per cent of the former and coo
per cent OF the latter. But common
salt purchased as dairy, barrclcd or
bagged and land salt, contains small
quantities of impurities These inlpurl-
ties, the chemist tells us are gypsum,
which is calcium s1lphate, chloride OF
i lime and chloride Of magnesia. About
90 TO - per cent of land, dairy and
( barreled salt is composed oi sodium
chlorides. Neither OF these elements
of sodium chloride is essential 10 plant
/ growth. and therefore, pure salt Is not
f a direct food for plants, but among the
/ impurities of common salt are sub
stances essential to plant growth and
/ therefore OF manurial value
Gypsum contains lime and sulphur,
.hlorides of lime and magnesia contain
ing respectively Lime and maenesia,
| both essential to plant growth. There
/ fore 92 to 81 per cent OF the total
/ weight of salt has no direct manurial
value, but a small percentage, Is to
g., may have. 1t is only the sodium
chloride of common salt that benefits
animals. The impurities here have
no value. The constituents, sodium
and chlorine, though not essential to
! plant growth, are essential 10 animal
growth II is just as essential that
animals have salt AS nitrogorous mat.
ter, without either one animals can
not exist long.
Though not an essential substance
In vegetable matter, all plants contain
more or loss salt. The quantity con
tanned, however, is not sufficient for
the animals requirements; an add
uoUal quantity should be supplied in
the food. 1t il very common prac-
tice for farmers to salt their animals
once every week or two, This is not
the best way to salt animals. Sailed
in this way they consume three OF four
times the quantity that should b. tax
en- in any one day. This excessive
amount has bad effect on animals
nutrition. In a few days the animals
not being able to store up supply in
the system, are insufficientS supplied
Animals should have free access TO
salt when at ali possible The ele-
ments of salt are essential constit-
uents in certain of the digestive fluids.
In the gastric juice, for instance, the
digestive fluid Of the fourth stomach
of ruminants, as cows and sheep. cor
responding to the single stomach of
nonruminants as horses, chlorine is
essential. Without ii the fluid loses
It's digestive power. Independently
of imparting flavor, salt does aid di.
gestion. Probably the greatest objec-
ton to irregular sailing is the excess
i've amount eaten at one time when
fed in this way. 1t has several objet
tionable sequel5; one is the increased
urinary secretions, causing thirst and
excessive drinking. This increased
urinary secretion is accompanied by
an increased destruction of nitrogen
Gus tissue in the animals system,
which means a decrease in weight ana
:. waste of food. Irregular sailing has
other bad effects. and TO practice II
means at least degree of derange-
ment of the digestive system and Il
loss of flesh and feed. A supply should
be kept in little box or man2er where
the animals can take and lick it when
ever they desire They themselves
are best able to judge Of the quantity
equired each day. Rock salt seems to
be most suitable for feeding to ami
mails. A lump Of rock salt may be
kept in the feed boxes of horses. COWS
and sheep. Cooked feed should al.
ways be sailed before being fed, az
the cooking eliminates the salt in the
food to large extent.