mes, and in the very fat sheep about six times as much. As
a general result of the analyses it may be stated, that in the carcass
of an ox in good condition, the quantity of fat will be from two to
nearly three times as great as that of the so called albuminous
compounds; in a sheep three or four times, and in the pig four or five
times as great. In the offal, including the hide, intestines, and other
parts not usually consumed as food, the proportion is very
different,--the quantity of fat being much smaller, and that of
nitrogenous compounds considerably larger.

Taking a general average of the whole, the following may be assumed as
representing approximately the general composition of a lean and a fat
animal:--

Lean. Fat.

Mineral matters 5 3
Nitrogenous compounds 15 12.5
Fat 24 33
Water 56 48.5
--- -----
100 100.0

The data given in the preceding table, coupled with a knowledge of the
relative weights of the lean and fat animals, enable us to ascertain the
composition of the _increase_ during the fattening process. It is
obvious, from the material diminution of the per centage of water, that
the matters deposited in the tissues must contain a much larger
proportion of dry matters than the whole body; and the reduced per
centage of nitrogenous matters shews that the fat must also greatly
preponderate. This is still more distinctly illustrated by the following
table, giving the per centage composition of the increase in fattening
oxen, sheep, and pigs:--

------------------------------------------------
| Mineral | Nitrogenous | Fat. | Water. |
| Matters. | Compounds. | | |
------------------------------------------------
Oxen | 1.47 | 7.69 | 66.2 | 24.6 |
Sheep | 2.34 | 7.13 | 70.4 | 20.1 |
Pigs | 0.06 | 6.44 | 71.5 | 22.0 |
------------------------------------------------

Hence it may be stated in round numbers, that for every pound of
nitrogenous matters added to the weight of a fattening animal, it will
gain ten pounds of fat, and three of water. These are the proportions
over the whole period of fattening, but it is probable that during the
last few weeks of the process the ratio of fat