96 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Many of the substances tested show less than one per 

 cent, of galactan, and we are not certain in many cases, 

 because of the small amount of precipitate obtained, whether 

 the material weighed really was mucic acid or partially 

 decomposed organic matter. All substances, therefore, con- 

 taining less than one per cent, of galactan, may be for the 

 present characterized as doubtful. To settle the presence or 

 absence of very small amounts of galactan, we shall either 

 be obliged to still further perfect the method, or work with 

 larger quantities. Tollens states that mucic acid melts at 

 213 degrees C. We have tested the melting point of the 

 precipitate in cases when there was sufficient present, and 

 found a melting point of about 215 degrees C. 



The results as given above show the presence of very 

 small amounts of galactan in the non-leguminous coarse 

 fodders and seeds. In the leguminous plants from three to 

 four per cent, are present, while in case of the leguminous 

 seeds, several varieties of beans and peas appear to contain 

 very limited quantities, but the larger number of such seeds 

 tested show from 1^ to as high as 14 per cent. With the 

 exception of the lupines, the clover seeds contain the largest 

 amounts, the seeds of white variety containing 9 per cent. 



The above results are merely a report of progress. They 

 show, however, that the galactans are not as widely dis- 

 tributed nor present in such large quantities as are the pen- 

 tosans, and therefore do not play such an important part as 

 do the latter in the process of nutrition. We propose to 

 continue the investigation of the distribution of these sub- 

 stances, and also to determine their digestibility. 



