78 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



tomary that the results with these two sheep were discarded, 

 and the test will be repeated. Only one other American test 

 with a single animal is on record, and showed considerably 

 less fiber and extract matter digested than that obtained in 

 the present experiment. The present single test agrees 

 fairly well with the seven German trials reported. 



Soy Bean Meal (^Br-ook's Medium Green). — This variety 

 is by far the best suited to northern conditions. The sam- 

 ple was grown upon the station grounds, and was coarsely 

 ground before being fed. The seed is green in color, and 

 similar in size to dwarf garden peas. The bean contained 

 (jl per cent, of protein and fat, and these two ingredients 

 are shown to be 91 and 93 per cent, digestible. The extract 

 matter, 29.43 per cent., was 91 per cent, digested. The 

 coefficients of digestibility obtained for the fiber are, of 

 course, incorrect, due probabl}'^ to the favorable influence 

 of the soy bean, a nitrogenous feed stufl", in increasing the 

 digestibility of the hay carbohydrates. It can be assumed 

 that the fiber contained in the soy bean has a high rate of 

 digestibility. The small amount present, 4.40 per cent., 

 renders a knowledge of the exact percentage digestible of 

 minor importance. 



The three American digestion trials, with an unnamed 

 variety, reported in Lindsey's compilation, show the pro- 

 tein and fat to have been nearly as well digested as those in 

 the present trial. The fiber and extract matter, on the other 

 hand, had noticeably lower digestion coeflicients (33 and 71). 

 In the two German trials reported the protein and fat are 

 respectively 87 and 94 per cent., and the extract matter 62 

 per cent, digestible, while the digestibility of the fiber is not 

 stated. 



It is evident, from all trials thus far made, that the protein 

 and fat, comprising from 50 to 60 per cent, of the bean is 

 very fully digested. Whether the high digestibility of the 

 fiber and extract in the present experiment is due to the 

 variety of the bean, or is a peculiarity of the sheep employed, 

 will be determined by further tests. 



Ilomimj Meal, or Cho]). — As used for cattle feeding this 

 consists of the hull, germ and some of the gluten and soft 



