THE DIGESTIBILITY OF FEEDING STUFFS. 



507 



several hours previous to the beginning of the experiment, and again 

 after the experiment. The wash water from the last operation is care- 

 fully evaporated, the residue weighed, the dry matter in it determined, 

 and this added to the dry matter of the feces previously collected. 

 The animals soon get accustomed to having no straw on the floor of 

 the stall if it is taken away gradually. 



In experiments with horses the stall and manger can be arranged the 

 same as for steers, except that the stall should of course be made larger. 

 The collection of the feces is simpler than with steers. The drop at 

 the rear of the stall is not necessary. Instead, a rubber apron with a 

 light, bent strip of wood at the top is attached to the animal^under the 

 tail. The lower end of this apron is kept flat by a stick sewed into it, 

 and is suspended over a tin box II to 10 in. wide by means of cords 



Fig. 2. — Stall for digestion experiments with sheep. 



passing through pulleys overhead with small bags of sand attached as 

 counterpoise. The droppings roll down the apron into the box and 

 are collected from time to time in a tared copper box, provided with a 

 cover to prevent drying out. 



The collection of feces is even simpler in the case of sheep, to which 

 rubber bags can be so attached as to collect the droppings without loss. 

 The sheep are confined in box like stalls (fig. 2), 40 in. long, 22^ in. wide, 

 and 40 in. deep, the whole being raised on legs about 20 in. from the 

 fioor. At the front end of the stall is a removable metal manger, which 

 fits closely to the end of the stall and just below the opening in front of 

 the animal. This opening can be closed by a sliding door. 



To prevent the animal from gnawing the stall, the front half and the 

 sliding door are covered with tin. The rear end of the box is hinged so 



