274 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The relative digestibility of several sorts of fat by man : IV. 

 On artificial culinary fats and their digestibility as compared 

 ■with lard, H. Luhrig {Ztschr. Untersuch. NaJir. u. Genussmtl., 3 

 {lOOU), jyo. 2, pp. 73-87). — In continuation of work previously 

 reported (E. S. R., 11, p. 660) experiments with a health}^ man were 

 made on the digestibilit}^ of lard, a commercial lard substitute, and a 

 mixture of equal parts of the two, consumed with a mixed diet. The 

 tests were of 3 days' duration. The average results follow: ■ 



Digedibility of lard and commercial lard Kuhatitute. 



In daily 

 food. 



In daily 

 feces. 



Digested. 



Lard eaten mth simple mixed vegetable diet 



Commercial lard substitute eaten with simple mixed vegetable 

 diet 



Mixture of lard and commercial lard substitute eaten with sim- 

 ple mixed vegetable diet 



Grams. 

 102. 72 



102. 77 

 102. 72 



Grams. 

 5.83 



5.89 

 5.46 



Per cent. 

 94.33 



94.27 

 94.68 



Introducing- corrections for the lecithin of the feces and the total fat 

 in the ether extract, which is not saponifiable, the digestibility of the 3 

 sorts of fat would be 96.36, 96.09, and 96.47 per cent, respective!}^. 



The author concludes that, although the digestibility of the 3 sorts 

 of fat was practically the same, the lard is much to be preferred for 

 other reasons. He considers pure lard a satisfactory product, while the 

 commercial lard substitute was a mixture of inferior animal fat with 

 vegetable oils. 



The feeding value of sorghum as shovrn by chemical analysis, 

 R. W. Thatcher {Xelrraska Sta. Bui. 62., pp. ^5-7i?).— Analyses are 

 reported of Early Amber sorghum cut (1) when the canes were 2 ft. 

 high, (2) when the canes were 4 ft. high with a very few heads appear- 

 ing, (3) when headed out, most of the plants being in bloom, and (4) 

 after heading, most of the seeds being in the dough stage. The first 

 two samples were analyzed immediately after cutting and the last two 

 after curing. The composition of the different cuttings follows: 



Composition of sorglmm at different stages of gruwtli. 



Canes 2 ft. high (analyzed 

 nncured) 



Canes 4 ft. high (analyzed 

 uncured) 



Heading out, most of the 

 I>lants in bloom (ana- 

 lyzed cured) 



After heading, seeds in 

 dough stage (analyzed 

 cured) 



Water. 



Per ct. 

 87.68 

 85.09 



Water-free material. 



Pro- 

 tein. 



Per ct. 



10.60 



6.95 



4.66 



3.85 



Perct. 

 3.64 

 2.48 



2.14 



1.99 



Nitro- 

 gen- 

 free 

 ex- 

 tract. 



Re- 

 duc- 

 ing 

 sugars. 



Per ct. 

 42.60 

 45.47 



53.35 



47.58 



Perct. 



(o) 

 11.87 



16.37 



19.06 



Su- 

 crose. 



Perct. 

 (o) 

 .00 



.00 



.00 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Per ct. 

 28.12 

 33.37 



31.62 



38.44 



Ash. 



Per ct. 

 15.04 

 11.73 



8. IS 



8.19 



Nonal- 

 bumi- 

 noid 

 nitro- 

 gen. 



Per ct. 



0.55 



.27 



.16 



.15 



Albu- 

 minoid 

 nitro- 

 gen. 



Pa- ct. 



1. 15 



.84 



.59 



.47 



a Not determined. 



