918 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



pepsin and 0.6 per cent hydrochloric acid is the most advantageous. 

 Twenty centimeters of such a sohition will bring 6 gm. of hard cooked 

 egg albumen into solution in 10 to 15 hours. (6) The digestion pro- 

 gresses rapidly during the first 10 to 15 hours, especially the first 4; 

 after that it progresses very slowly; the formation of peptone and 

 albumoses steadily increases, while by long continued digestion the 

 syntonin gradually decreases. (7) In all the tests made syntonin and 

 albumoses could be detected in the digestive solution within 5 minutes 

 after the digestion had begun. (8) Where the pepsin from cattle and 

 swine was used peptone did not appear until nearly 4 hours after com- 

 mencing, while with dog pepsin it appeared in 20 to 40 minutes. 



(9) Since the pepsin from the dog surpasses that from cattle or pigs 

 in activity, it is believed probable that there are different pepsins. 



(10) Digestion takes place at as low a temperature as 0° 0. and increases 

 with increasing temiierature up to 50 to GO^ C, above which it dimin- 

 ishes and ceases at 80° 0. (176° F.). (11) Syntonin (precipitated by 

 neutralizing) and the albumoses (obtained by ammonium suliDhate) 

 appear in the digestive solution simultaneously. (12) Syntonin does 

 not occur as a result of the hydrochloric acid alone, but like the albu- 

 moses and peptone is a product of the united action of the hydrochloric 

 acid and pepsin. (13) Ammonium sulphate and common salt both 

 retard pepsin digestion, the latter about 0.5 per cent. 



Comparing prairie hay -with timothy hay, T. L. Hacker {Minne- 

 sota Sta. Bui. 35y pp. 65-81). — This comj)arison was made on 16 cows 

 divided into 4 lots. These lots were fed grain with timothy hay or 

 prairie hay in alternating periods, silage being added to the ration of 

 2 of the lots all the time. The grain consisted of a mixture of bran, 

 ground barley, corn meal, and linseed meal. 



"The prairie hay secured was fine in blade, of good quality, apparently early cut 

 and not exposed to rain before stacking. It was almost free from swale grnss and. 

 tall blue joint. The timothy hay was medium fine, rather short, cut early and 

 properly cured, had a fine flavor, good color, and was first grade in every respect." 



Tlie analyses of the feeding stuffs used are tabulated, together with 

 the record of the food consumed and milk and fat produced by each 

 cow in the several lots. 



In calculating the financial result prairie hay is valued at $3.20 and 

 timothy hay at $5.60 per ton. The general summary of results is as 

 follows : 



"(1) As between early cut and well cured timothy hay and fine well cured upland 

 prairie hay, cows preferred the prairie hay. 



" (2) Prairie hay was at least equal to timothy for the production of milk and 

 butter fat. 



" (3) At the present price of the 2 kinds of hay, milk was produced at 13 per cent 

 less cost and butter fat at 12 per cent less cost when prairie hay was fed." 



Ensiling soja bean and vetch, J. L. Hills ( Vermont Sta. Rpt. 1893, 

 pp. 109, 110). — Soja bean and Russian or villous vetch were each grown 

 on plats containing 2,500 sq. ft., and the green crops cut and ensiled, 

 a part of the soja bean by itself and a part mixed with the vetch. 



