38 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 355 



amount. After nine months, both samples showed an increase in B., (G) which, 

 however, cannot be regarded as significant. 



The general composition of the samples did not materially change during the 

 long storage, at least if total moisture, ash, nitrogen, and ether extract are the 

 basis of judgment. However, the nitrogen distribution changed in that globulin 

 decreased, while the albumin increased. Globulin in this case was taken as that 

 nitrogenous compound precipitated from a 10 percent NaCl extract of the meat 

 on saturation with NaCl. Albumin was that protein, precipitated by heat and 

 CCI3COOH (2.5 percent) from the filtrate of the globulin determination. 



Applying the technique of Mitchell and his co-workers for determining ten- 

 derness, collagen nitrogen showed a decrease of 20 percent in six months, while the 

 elastin showed a similar trend. This would seem to indicate an increase in ten- 

 derness with aging (or storage). 



Digestibility, as measured either by feeding trials with white rats or by the 

 "in vitro" method of Horwitt, Cowgill, and Mendel, showed no change during 

 the period of storage. These two methods of determining digestibility gave very 

 closely agreeing results. 



The nutritive value of the protein or its value for growth promotion in white 

 rats, as expressed in terms of grams gained in weight per gram of protein eaten, 

 remained rather constant throughout the entire period, and agreed very well 

 with figures published by other workers. The average figure for the meat from 

 corn-fed hogs was 2.53 and from the hominy-fed hogs, 2.18. 



The Vitamin A Content of Pasture Grasses. (W. S. Ritchie, J. G. Archibald, 

 and Wm. Esselen, Jr. Cooperative with Animal Husbandry.) During the seasons 

 of 1936 and 1937 samples of Rhode Island bent grass, sheep fescue, orchard grass, 

 Kentucky blue grass, timothy, sweet vernal, and red top were assayed for their 

 vitamin A content. The grasses were grown on both fertilized and unfertilized 

 plots. 



The work of 1938 repeated that for 1937 in order to complete as nearly as 

 possible the samples from both plots during the same part of the growing season. 

 Almost without exception, the values obtained were higher in 1938 than in 1936 

 or 1937, regardless of treatment, in some cases as much as two or three hundred 

 percent. There seems to be no reason for this though perhaps it is significant 

 that the rainfall in 1938 from May to October (inc.) was 38.79 inches, while for 

 the same period in 1937 it was 27.17 inches, and in 1936, 20.30 inches. 



It was again demonstrated that the vitamin content was higher in grasses from 

 the fertilized plots than in those grown on unfertilized plots. Seasonal variations 

 again did not seem to be as great as those produced by fertilization. 



The Nutritive Value of Chocolate Milks. (William Mueller and VV. S. Ritchie.) 

 The amount of lead in food has become of such importance that a tolerance has 

 been established. Nine samples of chocolate and cocoa varied from 1.4 to 5.0 

 p. p.m. in their lead content. These amounts do not seem important since the 

 quantity of chocolate or cocoa used in the preparation of these drinks is not large. 



THE CRANBERRY STATION 



East Wareham. Massachusetts 



H, J. Franklin in Charge 



Injurious and Beneficial Insects Affecting the Cranberry. (H. J. Franklin.) 

 Fire Beetle (Crypiocephalus incertus Oliv.). Thirteen cranberry bogs, located 

 in Bourne, Carlisle, Carver, Lakeville, Middleboro, Rochester, Scituate, and 



