1 68 Cellulose 



or, calculated to C,H,O compounds only 



(*) (*) to <<*) to 



C . . .52-06 50-28 48-69 53-92 48-34 



H . . .7-07 6-37 6-42 7-63 6-38 

 O . 40-87 43-35 44-89 38-47 45-28 



(a} The following were the results of the first treatment, boiling 

 in 1-25 p.ct. H 2 SO 4 , in regard to the percentage and elementary 

 composition of the N-free constituents dissolved : 



() (*) to (</) to 



<* * 5-15 20-72 8-84 



ed 



Elementary f C * 8< 9 6 47'O 3 49'I7 50-26 4 O'4 



composition) 6 '34 5' 4 6 6-48 7-46 8-78 



<- O 44-70 47-51 44-35 42-28 50-81 



(b) And on subsequently boiling with dilute potash 



() (*) to (rf) to 



Proportion ) 



dissolved } 20<I 4 I2 '7S 23-44 20-55 20*57 



Elementary f C S7'i7 57'6 3 5 O'8 3 57'62 5 3'44 



composition H ^5 7'O2 5*62 7-31 6-66 



IO 35'i8 35-35 43-55 35-07 39-60 



It may be noted that the albuminoids are almost entirely 

 removed by these treatments, as is evident from the determinations 

 of N in the residual crude fibre, viz. : 



N 0*17 o-oo o-oo 0-42 o37 



The conclusions drawn from these results are, that the con- 

 stituents dissolved are of relatively high C percentage, that they 

 consist in large proportion of the lignocelluloses of the raw material, 

 and that therefore the residual crude fibre is a product of purely 

 empirical, and in fact arbitrary value. 



The subject is also exhaustively treated by A. Miintz, in a 

 brochure entitled * Recherches sur 1'alimentation et sur la produc- 

 tion du travail' (Ann. Agron. 1877-8, No. 2). This contains the 

 results of a very elaborate inquiry into the muscular work of the 

 horse in relation to the food consumed. The inquiry involved the de- 

 termination of the nutritive value of typical fodders, as its necessary 

 basis, and the author's conclusions in regard to the * cellulose ' 

 constituents of these food-stuffs are noteworthy. After showing 



