DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY. 21 



COMPILATIOX AND COMPARISON OF ANALYTICAL DATA. 



An important part of the present and future work of the Division 

 consists in the collection, comparison, and tabulation for publication 

 of analytical data relative to substances of commercial importance or 

 scientilic interest. Data of this kind, selected with proper care and 

 tabulated in a form for ready reference and comparison, are of the 

 highest value in arriving at standards for various agricultural prod- 

 ucts. During the year a very exhaustive and valuable comijilation 

 of analyses of American wines has been prepared and sent to the 

 printer^ to be published as a bulletin of this Division. 



A tiling cabinet has been obtained and a system devised for the 

 collection and recording of data of this kind in such a mannei that 

 they will be readily accessible and of the highest utility in connection 

 with the correspondence and other routine work of the oflBces and 

 laboratories of the Division. Moreover, when material accumulated 

 on a given subject is sufficient to justify its publication, it will be in 

 form for printing immediately. 



UTILIZATION OF THE STALKS OF INDIAN CORN. 



The possibility of utilizing the stalks of Indian corn as a cattle food 

 has long occupied the attention of our agricultural chemists. A large 

 amount of experimental and analj^tical work has been done in this 

 direction b}' the experiment stations, notably by those of Maryland 

 and Pennsylvania. Our work has been directed chiefly to the study 

 of the rations composed of the tine-ground stalks of maize mixed with 

 blood, molasses, ground bone, indian-corn meal, other cereal jjroducts, 

 and various other ingredients. 



The previous grinding of the stalk is a primary necessity, since 

 otherwise it can not be properly masticated. When convenient, it is 

 also advisable to remove the pith, which can be used to better advan- 

 tage for other industrial applications. The ground stalk has a nutri- 

 tive value equal to that of coarse hay and an absorbent power for 

 blood, molasses, and other liquids which makes it an ideal vehicle for 

 offering these iDodies in an approj^riate form for consumption to 

 domesticated animals. The value of both blood and molasses as 

 cattle foods has long been established, but until the employment of tine- 

 ground indian-corn stalks as an absorbent was proposed no entirely 

 satisfactory method of utilizing these products was known. 



During the past year man}' different rations have been mixed and 

 subjected to analytical study, with the result of showing both high 

 nutritive properties and also adaptability to particular puriDoses. 

 This may be illustrated bj' citing some of the particular rations which 

 have been prepared, viz, rations for the maintenance of horses and 

 cattle not engaged in work nor being fattened ; rations for animals at 

 hard work; rations for fattening animals; rations for poultry, both 

 for egg i^roduction and for preparing poultry for market. Various 

 forms of rations for each particular purpose were prepared with the 

 object of securing the best balanced and also the most economical 

 product. Our experiments demonstrated beyond a doubt that tine- 

 ground maize stalks are by far the best material known for utilizing 

 blood and molasses as animal foods. Although cattle foods are now 

 very cheap and abundant in our countr}', it is somewhat interesting 

 to know that in the almost inexhaustible quantitj^ of this material we 

 have a resource for the future which will supph^ every demand. In 

 this material also we find a means of utilizing in the most economical 

 way the waste products of our slaughterhouses, of our beet-sugar fac- 



