EXPEEIMENT STATIOIT. 101 



determinations on each sample gave practically the same result. 

 The discrepancy in albuminoids of 0.85 per cent, therefore lies 

 mainly in the sampling. 



Turning now to the duplicate Fodder Corn samples we find 0.7 

 per cent, in the water content. The ether extracts are not essen- 

 tially discrepant, but the albuminoids differ by 3.39 per cent. 

 This lai-ge difference is unquestionably for the most part due to 

 inequality of the original samples as the two nitrogen estimations 

 on each sample agreed perfectly. 



Comparing now, on water-free substance, the composition of 

 the ensilage with that of the corn itself, we get no satisfactory 

 evidence of any change in the albuminoids, for the amount found 

 in the field corn ensilage is but 1.34 per cent, less than the aver- 

 age result on the field corn itself, while in case of fodder corn the 

 albuminoids found in the ensilage are 1 per cent, more than the 

 average obtained in the fresh corn. As regards the " Ether Ex- 

 tracts " we observe that in both cases the ensilage contains very 

 nearly double what was got from the fresh corn. In ordinary 

 fodder-analyses the ether extract consists for the most part of oil, 

 fat or wax, and is usually termed fat or crude fat. In the process 

 of ensilage it is not so likely that fat is produced as that lactic acid 

 is formed, perhaps mainly during the sam*pling and sending (by 

 transformation of sugar), which dissolves freely in ether. 



That sugar and perhaps other carbhydrates are to some degree 

 destroyed and lost by fermentation in the silo, is proved by the 

 appearance of fermentation-products, especially carbonic acid gas. 

 Such loss would tend to diminish notably the percentage of 

 nitrogen-free extract and to increase that of the crude fiber. At 

 first glance the analyses of the Field Coini and its ensilage would 

 seem to indicate a considerable loss in this way-, for the fiber of 

 the ensilage is nearly 4 per cent, greater than that of the corn, and 

 its carbhydrates, etc. (N. -fr. Extract), nearly 5 per cent. less. 

 But the results for Fodder Corn, though pointing in the same 

 direction give much smaller differences (0.2 per cent, less fiber and 

 1.7 per cent, more N. fr. Extract), differences that bear no proper 

 relation to each other to be accounted for by loss in fermentation, 

 and that are easily attributable to errors of analysis and uneven 

 sampling. Even the larger differences of 4 and 5 per cent, found 

 in case of the Field Corn might be due to differences in the orio:- 

 inal samples, for if in the albuminoids there could be in two samples 

 a difference of 3.4 per cent., twice that variation should be antici- 

 pated on the three times more abundant fiber and carbhydrates. 



