1899.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — Xo. 33. 23 



Many new feeds are constantly being ottered for sale in 

 our markets. A number have appeared during the year 

 1898. Our object is to secure samples of these materials 

 promptly, and ascertain their feeding and comparative 

 commercial values. For detailed information the reader 

 is referred to Bulletins 53 and 56. 



Other Chemical Work. — The analyses of feed stuffs and 

 manures in connection with the numerous digestion experi- 

 ments carried on by this division, involves a considerable 

 amount of time and effort, but because of this work we are 

 enabled to state with a reasonable degree of accuracy the 

 feeding and commercial values of the concentrated feeds 

 sold upon the market, and of the coarse feeds produced 

 upon our farms. 



It is the object of this division to assist the Association 

 of Official Agricultural Chemists as much as possible in 

 perfecting methods of chemical analyses, and in finding 

 out methods for the estimation of the quantity and nutri- 

 tive value of several of the newer carbohydrates. We 

 spend whatever time can be had during each year in work- 

 ing along these lines, believing it will be productive of 

 much good in the future. During the past year we have 

 given attention to the estimation of pentosans, starch and 

 sugar in agricultural plants. 



The chemical work received from the agricultural division 

 has very much increased during the past year. This work 

 consists of the determination of dry matter in a large num- 

 ber of plants, the estimation of starch in potatoes, the 

 analyses of feed stuffs used in poultry experiments, and in 

 general fodder analyses. This increased work is now 

 severely taxing the resources of our chemical force. 



