13 



and fat. Moreover, the crude fibre is not only largely indigestible, so 

 that the digestive juices of the animal do not extract much nutriment from 

 it, but, what is still more important, crude fibre renders the rest of the 

 food less digestible by protecting it from the action of the digestive fluids. 

 This by-product is, therefore, practically worthless, and to the average 

 farmer it would be dear at any price. For, not only is the quantity of 

 protein extremely small, but by far the larger percentage of carbohy- 

 drates exists in a very indigestible form. To move these indigestible in- 

 gredients from one part of the alimentary canal to another necessitates 

 the expenditure of energy. Thus we see that energy derived from a di- 

 gestible portion of a ration may be used up in eliminating the indigestible 

 portions from the system. Materials such as cotton seed hulls which 

 contain large quantities of crude fibre in a highly indigestible form are, 

 therefore, a decided detriment to a ration. 



Linseed Meal. 



This product is the residue left after extracting the oil from flax- 

 seed with naphtha, benzine, or a similar solvent of oily matter. In tlie 

 extraction of linseed oil by the old process the flaxseed was subjected to 

 pressure. The new process admits of more perfect removal of the oil 

 from the seed; therefore, linseed meal obtained from the "new process," 

 as a rule, contains more protein and less fat than the "old process" meal. 



The thirteen samples of linseed meal examined are all of "new pro- 

 cess" manufacture. The table of composition shows an average of 30.41 

 per cent, of protein in the thirteen samples examined. Linseed meal is 

 therefore, a highly concentrated food, and may be used in moderate quan- 

 tities to correct the deficiency of protein in some of our home-grown 

 feeding-stuffs. As this meal also contains a high percentage of crude fat, 

 it may have a beneficial mechanical effect in rendering the passage of the 

 other components of a ration through the alimentary canal less difficult. 



Linseed meal has been advocated as a component of a ration for milch 

 cows, and many of our most intelligent dairymen have fed it with good 

 success. It is also claimed that a small quantity of linseed meal fed in 

 a ration to horses will give these animals a glossy coat, which is an in- 

 dication of a thrifty condition. 



There are two kinds of linseed cake or meal, the one containing the 

 hulls of the seed and the other the decorticated meal. The analysis in 

 the foregoing table represents the composition of thirteen samples of the 

 latter food. As a component of a ration for all kinds of animals, it is one 

 which in the experience of a great number of practical feeders has given 

 good results. Some feeders object to the use of this food, because 

 when mixed with water it has a sticky consistency. This, however, 



should not be a serious objection if the results obtained from the use of 

 this food indicate greater value than those obtained from the use of other 

 by-products. 



