72 



EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



The Indian potato was one of the best liked foiaiie plants on the range. Bal- 

 sam root sunflower was relished better than the common sunflower. The wild 

 dandelion was well eaten but not readily digested. Bitter brush was not well 

 liked. The bitter vetch was not liked and had a poisonous effect, so that the 

 experiment was kept up for only 3 days. 



The digestion coefficients obtained with sheep were as follows : 



Av( rage digestion coefficients of nutive forage plants obtained wUli sheep. 



Kind of plant. 



Dry 

 matter. 



Pro- 

 tein. 



Ash. 



Nutri- 

 tive 

 ratio. 



Indian potato {Anfxnia gairdneri) 



Common sunflower ( U'ydhia mollis) 



Balsam root sunflower (Balsamorhiza sagit- 



tata) 



Wild carrot {Leptotxnia muUifida) 



Mountain Indian pink ( Castillda miviata) 



Western variety 



Brome grass {Bromus marginatus) 



Native blue grass (Poa sandbcrgii) 



Dandelion ( Crcpis intermedia) 



Bitter brush ( Kumia tridcntata) 



Bitter vetch (Lathyrus coriaceu.s) « 



Little lupine {Lupinus scllulus) 



Per ct. 

 66. 59 

 60.65 



66. 38 

 68.76 



66. 94 

 59.79 

 52.71 

 62.30 

 76.86 

 50.38 

 68.21 



Per ct. 

 56.74 

 69.46 



77.28 

 71.10 



64.76 

 68.03 

 63.90 

 62. 88 

 81.70 

 48.03 

 74.78 



Per ct. 

 50.10 

 53.01 



.38. 29 

 53.07 



46.82 

 42. 43 

 22. 69 

 48.66 

 57.48 

 28.35 

 67.39 



1:15.0 

 1: 3.8 



1: 3.9 

 1: 9.2 



1: 8.9 

 1: 8.5 

 1: 8.7 

 1:9.5 

 1: 6.9 

 1: 9.4 

 1: 4.2 



" One experiment. 



Studies on the metabolism of the domestic fowl on rations of potatoes, rye, 

 and oats, W. \'oltz iLandir. Jalirb., .iS {1H0H). \o. '/. i)ii. ■'irj.i^.liK^ ) . — Metabo- 

 lism experiments lasting usually 5 to 6 days were undertaken with several 

 cockerels about !) months old. Cooked potatoes, rye, and oats were each fed 

 alone and in mixtures. 



In most cases there was either a loss in live weight or it remained stationary, 

 except in some of the rations containing oats. The length of time which the 

 feces remained in the digestive tract varied from l^ hours in the case of the 

 potato ration to 2i hours on the grain ration. Because of this short time 

 bacteria can have but little influence in assisting in the work of digestion. 

 That portion of the feces which was retained for some time in the cecum was 

 of different composition from the rest. 



One cockerel died after having been kept for 110 days on an exclusive diet 

 of potatoes, and another died after 107 days on an exclusive diet of rye. 

 During that period both lest about 33 per cent in live weight. The conclusion 

 is reached that the mininuun daily allowance for fowls is 1 gm. of digestible 

 protein per 1 kg. live weight. 



The eoeflicients of digestibility are given in the following tal>ie: 



Average coefficients of digestihiliti/. total energg, and percentage of arailahle 

 energy obtained icitJt rations for fotvls. 



