BREEDING 1 137 



proper began, lasting 6 days. It yielded the following coefficients of di- 

 gestibility for the wood: 



Organic matter 50.09 % 



Crude cellulose 50.06 



Nitrogen free extract 55-58 



Calories 48. 61 



The digestibiHty was therefore excellent as regards the non-nitrogen- 

 ous substances, the crude cellulose and the nitrogen-free extract. For 

 the crude cellulose it is not below that of poor quality ha}^ and for the ni- 

 trogen-free extract it is 55.58 % 



To arrive at the true nutritive value of the chips, allowance must also 

 be made for the greater work of mastication and the loss of elements re- 

 sulting from fermentation. On deducting the loss of elements, etc., from 

 the above values, there resiilts per 100 gr. of wood fed to the animals, 84.9 

 calories capable of conversion into animal substance and work. Given that 

 I gr, of fat equals 9.5 calories, there are obtained in all from the 84.9 calories 

 8.94 gr. of fat. This figure is equal to a starch value of 35.8, which in turn 

 corresponds to that of good meadow hay (36.2 according to KelI/NEr). 



A microscopic examination of the excrement showed that it was not 

 only the substances of the lignified cellular membranes easiest of decompo- 

 sition (hemicellulose and pentosan) which were dissolved but even whole 

 membranes, and that a good result is only obtained if the wood is cut up 

 verv' fine and its cells are thoroughly torn. Non-observance of these two 

 conditions was the principal cause of the failure of the previous experiments 

 with sawdust. 



Prof. RuBNER repeated these experiments on a dog, using the same 

 wood. He obtained almost the same results. The dog, along with the 

 wood ration, also received meat, the digestibility of which was not 

 diminished. The experiments carried out on the dog le^d the writer to 

 the conclusion that man is also capable of digesting finely ground birch 

 wood, and he thinks that from 10 to 15 °,, of r3-e or meal wheat should 

 be replaced by wood meal in bread manufacture. 



883 - Experiments with Dogs in connection with the Mendelian Laws of Heredity. - 



Wellmann, O., in Termeszi-ttudomdnyi Kozlony (Bulkiin of N'.ntural Science), \'(>1. XI^VIII, 

 Xo. 9-10, pp. 315-320. BudajK'st, May 15, loifi. 



After first carrj-ing out crossing experiments on mice, fowls and rabbits, 

 the Author in 1909 crossed a black and tan basset with a spotted fox ter- 

 rier bitch. The experiments which were continued for 5 years, at the Royal 

 Superior Veterinary College of Budapest, sought to determine the inheri- 

 tance of the colour and shai)e of the body of the male basset and the fox ter- 

 rier bitch. The first cross produced 5 individuals of black and tan colour 

 with white spots on the chest and legs, the stature in all cases recalling that 

 of the sire. This fact seems to follow the law of Mendel in the sense that 

 the black and tan colour and the shape of the body of the basset were domi 

 nant over the coloured spots and the normal stature of the tox terrier bitch. 



tREEOINQ 



