27S Ayimml Report for 1912 of the Consulting Chemist. 



Recently there have been published the results of further 

 experiments on feeding stock with raw and prepared sawdust, 

 and the general outcome of these has been to show that crude 

 sawdust remains practically undigested in the animal economy, 

 and that the admixture of molasses with it in no way improves 

 its power of being utilised. As regards the " treated " sawdust, 

 while it must, in fairness, be allowed that a certain proportion 

 of sugar-like liodies is produced from the sawdust, and the 

 woody fibre rendered somewhat more digestible, yet, when the 

 material was fed to animals it had a reverse action on the other 

 constituents of the diet and made them less assimilable. 

 Further, that this depreciating effect was in no way remedied 

 by the incorporation of molasses with the treated sawdust. 

 The general conclusion was accordingly come to that sawdust, 

 whether in the raw or the treated condition, and whether 

 mixed with molasses or not, is not at all a proper material 

 to iise for stock. 



The second matter, that of the "solubility" of basic slag, 

 has been recently much discussed. It cannot be said, however, 

 that much light has been shed upon the real point at issue, viz., 

 whether the value of basic slag rests in the amount of total 

 phosphates, or in that of phosphates soluble in an arbitrary 

 (2 per cent.) solution of citric acid, used under certain definite 

 conditions. This only goes to show the need of further and 

 careful enquiry, and, with this view, experiments are now being 

 conducted at the Woburn Pot-culture Station. 



The following are details of some of the matters brought to 

 my notice during the year : — 



A. Feeding Stuffs. 

 1. Rice Meal. 

 This material has of late gone up greatly in price. It is 

 not very long ago since rice meal was quoted at 4:1. 10s. per 

 ton or thereabouts, but now the price has risen to as much 

 as 6^. 15s. per ton ex. quay. The following is the analysis 

 of a sample which was sold as " genuine rice meal," guaranteed 

 to contain 11 per cent, of oil, and 12 per cent, of albuminoids, 

 the price being 11. per ton. 



Moisture 10-01 



Oil ... 



'Albuminoids 



Starch, woody fibre, &c. 

 ^Mineral matter (ash) 



13-41 



11-94 



55-83 



8-81 



100-00 



' Containing nitrogen . . . . . . 1-91 



'^ Including silica ...... 1-79 



