78 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



" We observe that the older the pig grows the greater becomes the [relative amount 

 of food required for maintainance] and the greater the amount of food required to 

 produce 100 lbs. of gain. But considering that the percentage of the food is small in 

 proportion to the total food eaten at the 150-pound stage and that here the pig con- 

 sumes a large quantity of food per day and makes a large gain, it would seem that 

 the 150-pound pig is the most profitable one to feed. The large percentage of food 

 for maintenance to live weight is counterbalanced by these other facts. This appears 

 all the more evident when we consider what a small quantity of food was con- 

 sumed per day by the 200-pound pig. When we consider that the 200-pound pig ate 

 only 2.41 lbs. of dry matter per 100 lbs. of live weight and that 36 per cent of this 

 goes to sustain the life of the animal, we can easily see why the daily gain dropped 

 from 1.85 lbs. per day with the 150-pound pig to 1.22 lbs. per day with the 200-pound 

 pig. ... 



"During the maintenance period the pigs did not show much greater signs of 

 hunger than when on full feed, but a few days, when they were given less than 

 maintenance allowance, they appeared to suffer from hunger. They seemed to feel 

 well during the maintenance feeding and would sometimes run about and play like 

 young dogs; when on full feed they were lazy and would lie about in the pen. . . . 



"It was noticed that some pigs were slower eaters than others, and this may 

 explain why better results are not obtained when the animals are fed together in 

 large numbers. It was also noticed that the best results were obtained when the 

 pigs were on a feed increased uniformly from day to day." 



During all periods of gain the tails were curled. During mainte- 

 nance periods the tails of the pigs hung straight down. "The curl 

 in the tail appeared and disappeared as the change was made from 

 maintenance to full feed and vice versa.'''' 



In connection with the above experiment the digestibility of the 

 maintenance ration and the ration for growth was tested with 2 pigs 

 for 2 periods of 3 days each. "It appears that a pig will digest a 

 little more food when on a maintenance ration than when supplied 

 with as much food as will be eaten." These results are compared with 

 those obtained at the Minnesota Station (E. S. R., -i, p. 733). 



Nuts as food, C. D. Woods and L. H. Merrill {Maine Sta. Bui. 54, pp. 71-92).— 

 Statistics of the amount of nuts imported into the United States are quoted and the 

 composition of a number of nuts analyzed at the station reported. These include 

 Brazil nuts [Bertholletia excelsa), filberts, hickory nuts, pecans, peanuts, peanut but- 

 ter, edible acorns called "biotes" {Quercus emoriji), acorn meal, acorn bread, beech- 

 nuts, butternuts [Juglans cinerea), cocoanut, cocoanut milk, litchi nuts [Nephelium 

 litchi), pine nuts {Pinus monopJnjlla, P. edulis, P. sabiniana), and pistachio nuts. 

 The authors also quote a considerable number of American analyses of nuts made by 

 other investigators. The characteristics of the different nuts are discussed as well 

 as their preparation and use as articles of diet. 



Analyses of maple sugar, H. A. Huston and A. H. Bryan {Indiana Sta. Rpt. 

 1899, pp. 74, 75). — The composition of 4 samjiles of maple sugar and a sample of 

 what is known to maple-sugar makers as "niter" or "sugar sand" is reported. The 

 sugar sand had the following percentage composition: Water, 6.11; insoluble matter, 

 9.13; reducing sugars, 12.74; sucrose, 26.88; calcium, 12.89; mahc acid, 20.86; pot- 

 ash, 0.72; protein, 0.40; and magnesium, a trace. According to the authors, this 

 material is sometimes known as " malate of lime." It is suggested that it might be 

 of some value as a source of malic acid. 



