954 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 
The ration finally adopted was 15 lb. of molasses, 3 Ib. of 
bran, and 4 lb. of maize per day, with as much green cane tops 
as the animals can eat, the molasses being mixed with the bran 
and chopped cane tops, and this has now been given daily to the 
whole stock of over 409 horses at Rarawai plantation for nearly 
two years. The result is entirely satisfactory. There has been 
no undue fattening nor injury to the wind, and no tendency to 
excessive perspiration or softness. 
Sickness, which formerly was frequent, is now uncommon, and 
the horses are capable of performing harder and more continuous 
work. The improvement in this respect is so great that while the 
area of cultivation has been largely increased, it has not been 
necessary to make any addition to the working stock. 
Another important consideration is the financial result. In 
1893, with oats as the staple food, it cost £13 3s. per head per 
annum to feed the stock; in 1897 this has been reduced to 
£4 2s, 2d., being a saving of over £9 per head per annum. Such 
a saving, however, has only been possible by reason of large 
quantities of waste molasses and valueless cane tops being avail- 
able on the spot. Cane tops cannot in ordinary circumstances be 
procured for horse-feed by the farmer, though lucerne or any 
fresh grass is even more suitable. Then, for molasses, which at 
a sugar-mill has little or no value, a price has elsewhere to be 
paid to cover the cost of carriage and handling. 
According to Wolff, the whole of the albumenoids and carbo- 
hydrates in molasses are digestible. Taking Wolff's analyses of 
bran and maize in the diet that has been described above, but 
neglecting the cane-tops, would give the following digestible con- 
stituents :— 
1-02 1b. albumenoids, 12°53 1b. carbohydrates, and 0:19 Ib. 
fat. 
Taking 1 of fat = 24 carbohydrates, and reckoning the average 
weight of the stock at 1,270 Ib., the constituents per 1,000 Ib. 
live weight are— 
0:80 lb. digestible albumenoids. 
10-24 lb. digestible carbohydrates (including 0°15 Ib. fat). 
Albumenoid ratio, 1 : 12:8. 
The weight of green cane-tops is not exactly determined, but this 
is about 30 lb. per 1,000 live weight, or 38 lb. per horse. At the 
same time, the nutriment in this fodder is low, and its albumenoid 
ratio is only 1:9; so that any variation in the quantity used has 
but a trifling influence on the whole diet. Taking the quantity 
as 30 lb. per 1,000 Ib. live weight, this would add to the diet 
0:33 lb. digestible albumenoids and 3:07 Ib. digestible carbo- 
hydrates (including 0-09 Ib. fat). 
