VEGETABLE FOODS. 177 



The more the fodders are protected from the air, the less will be the 

 loss. Thus, it has been found that corn kept in an open space free to the 

 air will form in a given time twice as much carbon dioxide as if kept in a 

 closed space, of course, it being evident that the greater the formation 

 of carbon dioxide, the greater will be the loss. The moister the locality, 

 also the greater will be the deterioration in nutritive qualities. Thus, 

 oats in thirty months will lose 7.2 per cent, more of their solids than oats 

 kept in closed vessels. Similar facts also apply to the preservation of 

 the moist fodders, such as potatoes, beets, and green fodder. Sprouting 

 of potatoes and beets is likewise accompanied by great loss of nutritive 

 substance, and the presence of solan ine in a sprout may even cause it to 

 become poisonous. Thus, Krammer has found that in potatoes with the 

 sprout from 1 to 2 cm. long there is a loss of 3.18 per cent, of starch, 

 when the sprout is 2 to 3 cm. long a loss of 5.26, and when it reaches 4 cm. 

 in length there has been a loss of 9.88. Moulding, likewise, reduces the 

 amount of nutritive substances, in addition to the hurtful action of the 

 moulds themselves. Thus, in sound potatoes there will be an average 

 amount of solids of 23.8 per cent., while mouldy potatoes will average 

 only 20.6 per cent. Age of fodders not only occasions loss in absolute 

 amounts of nutritive \constituents, but also diminishes their relative 

 digestibility. Thus, Hofmeister has found that sheep which will digest 

 of clover-hay, when half a year old, 68.4 per cent, of proteids and 73.4 per 

 cent, of carbo-hydrates, when one year old will digest only 65.0 per cent, 

 of proteids and 63.1 per cent, of carbo-hydrates, and when four years old 

 50.7 per cent, of proteids and 40.7 per cent, of carbo-hydrates. The same 

 facts apply likewise to other forms of hay. 



The preservation of grain by stowing it in close chambers is a very 

 ancient one. The process of ensilage as at .present carried out is per- 

 formed simply by placing green-fodder crops, such as grass, clover, 

 vetches, etc., in an air-tight chamber of almost any construction, and, 

 after treading the mass down, covering it with boards on which pressure 

 is exerted, either by dead weights or mechanical means. The grass or 

 other substance may be chopped if thought desirable, and salt may also 

 be added. When preserved in this manner grass may be kept for a long 

 time, and will produce, when opened, a food resembling steamed hay 

 which is greedily consumed by cattle. The whole loss occasioned by 

 this process is but small, and the process of change occurring in food so 

 preserved has been carefully studied by Mr. A. Smetham. He found that 

 fermentation of various kinds had occurred, and he was able to detect a 

 small quantity of alcohol, as well as various acids, of which acetic, lactic, 

 and butyric were the chief. The amount of the acids was not sufficiently 

 great to render the silage unfit for food, and the practical results of 

 feeding with it were decided!} 7 satisfactory. By allowing the temperature 



12 



