96 



MAIND AGRICULTURAI. EXPE;RIMENT STATION. I906. 



a selection of foods supplying protein, carbohydrates, and fat in 

 certain proportions, although the two latter classes of nutrients 

 may replace each other to a considerable extent, a pound of fat 

 supplying about as much energy as 2^ pounds of carbo- 

 hydrates. The proportions generally accepted as well adapted 

 for an average person of active habits are one of protein to 5 

 or 6 of carbohydrates or the equivalent in fat. The proportions 

 as found in the food of these experiments are shown in the table 

 below. 



Ratio between the protein, carbohydrates, and fat of food,* one 

 part of fat being considered as equivalent to 2j4 po/i'ts of 

 carbohydrates. 



Hominy , .. 



Hasty pudding 

 White bread ... 

 Johnny cake.. . 

 Brown bread . . 

 Hoe cake 



1:15.4 



*This is not quite the same as the " nutritive ratio" of htock feeders, which is 

 based upon the digestible nutrients only. 



With the simple diet, consisting largely of corn relatively 

 low in protein, the ratio is much wider than the standard men- 

 tioned, ranging from i : 8 to i : 13. With the mixed diet, con- 

 taining meat, which is rich in protein, the ratio was narrowed 

 to about I : 7. On the other hand, by the addition of syrup to 

 the simple hoe-cake diet, a ratio originally too wide became still 

 wider, i : 15.4, and the digestibility of the protein suffered. 



4. From an inspection of the carbohydrate column it is diffi- 

 cult to draw any conclusion farther than that the carbohydrates 

 are almost completely utilized in the body, whether they are 

 derived from white bread or from any of the corn foods studied. 

 The results shown in the last column are even less C9nclusive 

 and seem to follow no discoverable law. 



The figures already quoted relate tO the total food eaten. 

 By many experiments the digestibility of such simple articles of 

 food as milk, butter and sugar has already been determined. 



