100.00

This year I have not found more than 17 per cent. of fat in any sample
of palm-nut cake. One specimen which I analysed for Mr. J. G. Alexander,
seed merchant, of Dublin, had the following composition:--

Water 9.24
Albuminous matters 19.28
Fatty matters 9.36
Gum, starch, fibre, &c. 53.22
Mineral matters 8.90
------
100.00

But although inferior samples are occasionally met with, I may say
of palm-nut cake that on the whole it is a food which deserves to be
largely used, and which at its present price is the most economical
source of fat. To milch-cows and fattening cattle about 3 lbs. per diem
may be given; 1/4 lb. will be sufficient for young sheep, whilst pigs
may be very liberally supplied with this food.

The _Locust, or Carob Bean_, is now largely used by the stock-feeder.
It is extremely rich in sugar, and is therefore an excellent fattening
and milk-producing food. It is used largely in the preparation of the
sweet kinds of artificial food for cattle. It is not well adapted for
young animals, owing to its deficiency of albuminous matters. The
following analysis shows the average composition of this food:--

Water 14
Sugar 50
Albuminous matters 8
Oil 1
Gum, &c. 20
Woody fibre 5
Ash 2
---
100

_Dates_ have been used, but only in very small quantities, as cattle
food. Their composition is not constant, some samples being greatly
inferior in nutritive power to others; they are rich in sugar,
and if they were obtained in sufficient quantities they might, like
carob-beans, come into general use with the stock-feeder. They contain
about 2 per cent.