AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 51 



alkalies. Paper and cotton fiber are good examples of nearly pure 

 crude fiber. 



The nitrogen-free extractive matter includes all the non- 

 nitrogenous compounds of feeding stuffs, excepting crude fiber and 

 the fats, the most important and best known members of this class 

 being starch and the sugars. 



The fats or vegetable oils are extracted from plant substance by 

 ether, which also takes out more or less chlorophyl, wax, etc., 

 especially in the case of hays and coarse fodders. Olive, linseed 

 and cotton-seed oils are good examples of vegetable fats. 



The starch, sugar and fats can play no part in the formation of 

 flesh or the caseine of milk, but are alike in being a source of 

 animal fat and heat. 



It has been assumed that the digestible portion of crude fiber has 

 a feeding value similar to starch and sugar, but the investigations 

 of the past few years throw a doubt on this assumption. It is also 

 probable that all the compounds included in the term, "nitrogen- 

 free extractive matter," have not equal nutritive value, the starch 

 and sugars being the only substances of which definite statements 

 can be made. * 



FODDER ANALYSES. 



The only fodder analyses that are presented in this report are 

 those of samples of grasses and other plants, which were collected 

 on the College Farm in the summer of 1887. 



In that year all the species of hay producing plants, found on the 

 College Farm that could be obtained unmixed in sutlicient quantity 

 for analysis and digestion experiments were gathered, carefully 

 dried and stored. With one exception, samples of all the species 

 analyzed were selected while the plants were in full bloom, the 

 orchard grass being somewhat past bloom when cut. The time of 

 cutting was during the first ten days of July, except in case of the 

 blue joint, which was gathered later. 



The composition and digestibility of these grasses were thoroughly 

 studied and the results of this work are presented in as plain and 

 concise a manner as possible. 



The first table following shows the composition of the fodders in 

 the air-dry condition as they would be fed, and also what the 

 composition would be if they contained no water. The terms used 

 in the table are explained on the previous pages. 



