Linseed Meal 247 



of protein and 10.6 per cent of fat. An average by 

 the same authors of 179 analyses of the meal shows 

 30 per cent of protein and 9.9 per cent of oil, those 

 samples taken previous to 1880 being poorer in pro- 

 tein and richer in fat than those analyzed after that 

 date. The average of twelve samples of linseed cake 

 made prior to 1883 and compiled by Jenkins, gives 

 29.7 per cent of protein and 11.2 per cent of fat. 

 There is no question but that the meal now found in 

 the markets is considerably richer in protein and 

 poorer in fat than that with which American farmers 

 were first acquainted. 



The relative values of the old and new process 

 meals are much discussed. Many farmers are preju- 

 diced in favor of the former, possibly because any- 

 thing which has been treated chemically is regarded 

 with suspicion when considered as a food. No good 

 evidence exists, however, that new process meal is less 

 palatable or less healthful than the old process prod- 

 uct, nor has practice demonstrated that in a general 

 way it is less nutritious. 



A very useful inquir}' by Woll into the charac- 

 teristics of the two kinds of meal showed certain 

 differences which are interesting in this connection. 

 Two points were studied : the digestibility and the 

 property of swelling to a mucilaginous condition when 

 stirred up with water. Experiments with animals both 

 in Germany and in this country have shown a quite 

 uniformly lower coefficient of digestibility for the pro- 

 tein of the new process, than for the old process, meal. 

 Woll tested this matter bv artificial dierestion with a 



