762 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[9 Dec, 1907. 



stomach) with its attendant reticulum or honeycomb ; in the horse and pig 

 the crop is joined to the fundus without any narrowed portion or neck 

 between. In the crop the food gets warmed up to the temperature ot 

 the body, and gets thoroughly macerated with the saliva. Moreover, the 

 diastase of the saliva continues its action on any starch which may be 

 present. A very important action is the digestion of the food by the 



Fig. 47. Diagram of stomach of horse, pig, and do<^ 

 ventriculus ; F., fundus; Py., pylorus; D., duodenum. 



O., CEsopiiagus ; P., pro- 



ferments which it already contains. This autolysis is also aided by harm- 

 less bacteria, and in consequence of this combined action, the food mass, 

 which is constantly being rotated and stirred bv the movements of the 

 muscular wall, is subjected to a partial digestion which affects most of 

 the food ingredients. Starch is partially transformed into sugar, proteins 

 into proteoses, whilst oils and fats are acted upon only slightly. But the 

 most important action is a semi-digestion of cellulose and woody fibre, 

 by which the vegetable ir.ass is softened, and the contents of the vegetable 

 cells made more accessible. The carbohydrates in the food produce con- 

 siderable quantities of acids, like lactic acid and butvric acid ; and gases, 



Ji ^ 



^'^^^^~ 



Fig. 48. Proventriculus and Stomach of Sheep, i, la, and ib, Rumen; 2, Re- 

 ticulum ; 3, Omasum ; 4, Abomasum or true stomach consisting of a fundus tapering 

 into a pylorus; 5, Beginning of duodenum. (After Hagemann.J 



like hydrogen and carbon dioxide, are also liberated, so that the whole 

 mass in the crop may have a spongy look and feel. Sometimes, as with 



