324 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 181. 



and 4, where the pumpkins were fed with a basal ration of hay and gluten 

 feed, the coefficients for the fiber, extract matter and fat appear to be lower 

 than when the basal ration consisted of hay only. One would expect 

 contrary results, for the combination of hay and pumpkins had a nutritive 

 ratio of 1:9 to 1:11, and the hay, gluten feed and pumpkins a ratio of 

 approximately 1:7.5. The lower digestibility of the pumpkins in the 

 hay-gluten-feed-pumpkin ration may have been caused by the extra 

 amount of total dry matter fed (approximately 100 grams daily). 



The coefficients for the pumpkins minus the seeds are considerably 

 higher, and, so far as one is able to judge from the results, indicate that 

 the pumpkins had a favorable effect upon the digestibility of the hay. 

 When the entire fruit was fed no seeds or parts of seeds were found in the 

 feces. 



In general, it may be said that th^ entire pumpkins appear to be fairly 

 well digested, but not quite as fully as are mangels, turnips and carrots. 

 Their relative feeding values will depend considerably upon their content 

 of dry matter. The large percentage of fat in the pumpkin tends to 

 increase slightly its feeding value pound for pound over most of the root 

 crops. 



(e) Turnips. 

 Summary of Coefficients of Turnips. 



One lot only of Swedish turnips was tested, which contained 86.21 per 

 cent, water; the dry matter tested 7.33 per cent, ash, 9.58 per cent, 

 protein, 10.99 per cent, fiber, 71.31 per cent, extract matter and .79 per 

 cent. fat. They were rather richer in protein and fiber than mangels, 

 and somewhat lower in carbohydrate matter. At the same time they 

 may be regarded as carbohydrate in character. They were fed together 

 with hay, and constituted 38 per cent, of the total ration, which had a 

 nutritive ratio of 1 :10.4. The results with the two sheep agree very closely, 

 the sheep digesting 89 per cent, of the dry matter, 76 per cent, of the pro- 

 tein, 82 per cent, of the fiber and 96 per cent, of the starchy matter. 



