890 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



aiitliors als :uU' an attempt tn learn the ingredients- ns^eil in conijKnnKlinj,' the 



condiniental fee(lH examined. 



"Tlie claims made for these feeds are essentially, tirst, that they are appetizers, 

 promoting an<l imi)roving digestion, and therefore increasing production, l>e it work, 

 llesh, niiik, or wool, and, second, that tliey j)ossess medicinal virtues of a high order. 

 Touching the tirst claim it may he said that there is no valid evidence to the effect 

 that condiments or spices increase the digestibility of food or enlarge production, 

 while such evidence does exLst to prove the contrary. As to the second claim it may 

 be remarked tliat the drugs commonry present are simple and Avell-known remedies, 

 which may <lo good at times, which are quite hannless, and in cases of more than 

 slight indisposition doubtless quite as ineffectual as hannless." 



Methods of discriminating between Egyptian and Bombay cotton-seed, 

 cakes, J. A. Voku'Kkk (Anah/nt, ..'S{1003), No. 330, pp. 2Gl-:^63, figs. 6).— A method 

 of distinguishing between Egyptian and Bombay cotton-seed cakes is suggested, 

 which depends in part upon microscopical, physical, and chemical characteristics. 

 According to the author, the Bombay cake almost invariably contains borax and the 

 percentage of sand (matter insoluble in hydrochloric acid) is consideraljly higher 

 than in Egyptian cake. 



The microscopic examination of American cotton-seed cake, A. L. Winton 

 {Analyd, 29 {1904), No. 335, ]>p. 44-47). — According to the author, there is no 

 entirely satisfactory method of discriminating between Sea-island cotton-seed and 

 upland cotton-seed cake. 



"So far as concerns the mere detection of excessive amounts of hulls or starchy 

 adulterants, microscopic examination,, especially if coupled with determinations of 

 nitrogen and fiber, is all that could be desired." 



This investigation was suggested by that noted abcne. 



Results of analysis of manures and. of feeding stuffs for feeding experi- 

 ments, S. H. Collins [County Council Northumberland , Education Com., Rpt. 1903, 

 pp. HJ-94). — Analyses are reported of a number of feeding stuffs and fertilizers. 



Experiments on the digestibility of rye and wheat bran of different grades, 

 A. KoiiLER ET AL. {Luudw. Vcvs. Stut. , 58 [1903), No. 5-6, pp. 415-43,?). — Using 2 

 sheep the digestibility of different sorts of wheat and rye bran was studied. Some 

 of the brans selected were typical of the goods obtained by modern methods of mill- 

 ing; the others contained a larger percentage of starch, and were considered typical 

 of the bran obtained from old-fashioned mills. Tlie materials under investigation 

 were fed with meadow hay, the digestibility of the bran alone being calculated from 

 the results obtained for the whole ration. It appeared that the rye bran w^as more 

 thoroughly digested by both sheep than the wheat bran. From the data as a whole 

 the conclusion is drawn that the bran obtained by modern milling has a lower nutri- 

 tive value than old-fashioned bran. 



The effect of drying upon the solubility of protein of feeding stuffs in 

 pepsin-hydrochloric acid, J. Vodiaku [Landir. TV/-.s. ,S7«/., oh' [1903), No. 5-6, pp. 

 433-437). — After jireliminary experiments with fresh hay and fresh and dried clover 

 had shown that drying dimished digestibility, the author made a systematic study 

 of the effect of temperature upon the Jiitrogen content and the digestibility of the 

 protein in a number of feeding stuffs, the results obtained Vjeing summarized in the 

 table below. The samples were dried for 48 hours at 40, 60, and 100° C. Brewers' 

 grains and distillery refuse, it is pointed out, are materials which are subjected to a 

 fairly high temperature in the process of preparation. Such is not the case with the 

 other feeding stuffs examined. 



