98 THE BOOK OF ENSILAGE. 



PARTS. 



Ash . . . . . . . 0.82 



Albuminoids . 0.86 



Fat 0.26 



Crude cellulose 4.53 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matter . . . 8.49 



By comparing the two tables it will be seen that the 

 Ensilage contains over 29 per cent more dry matter than 

 the whole plant in the milk; over 41 per cent more of 

 crude cellulose ; over 138 per cent more of fat ; over 81 

 per cent more albuminoids ; over 5 per cent more of non- 

 nitrogenous extract matter ; over 1 1 5 per cent more ash 

 (or mineral constituents). 



It will also be seen that the nutritive ratio of the 

 Ensilage is one part of albuminoids to 6^ parts of non- 

 nitrogenous extractive matter (digestible carbo-hydrates) . 

 This makes its nutritive ratio a little better than timothy 

 hay, which is, according to Dr. Wolff, i to 8yV> but not 

 quite as good as average clover hay, which is i to 5-^. 

 By this analysis Ensilage would seem to be much nearer 

 a perfect food than I have supposed. If the results of 

 careful experiments in feeding coincide with the above 

 analysis, the system of Ensilage is far more perfect and 

 important than I have even hoped. 



I shall institute a series of experiments to test this 

 point ; for, however satisfactory a chemical analysis may 

 be, the real touchstone is the feeding value demon- 

 strated by careful and repeated experiments. 



What farmers want to know is not what an article of 

 food is worth chemically, but how much it is worth to 

 feed to their stock. 



My experiments thus far satisfy me that the value of 

 corn-fodder is doubled by the softening and fermentive 

 process which it undergoes in the Silos ; that two tons of 



