PART II. 



DETERMINATION OF DIGESTIBILITY OF RATIONS. 



F. W. MORSE. 



The comparative digestibility of the two rations was de- 

 termined as follows : 



One pig from each lot was taken and placed in a box or 

 cage, so constructed that the food would not be wasted and none 

 of the dung would be lost. 



The pigs did not seem to mind this confinement and con- 

 tinued to gain in weight as before the beginning of this part of 

 the experiment. Fortunately, the weather was mild and no wide 

 variation in temperature occurred during this period. 



The food for each was weighed night and morning and 

 samples taken at each weighing for subsequent analysis. Equal 

 parts of the morning and evening samples of skim-milk were 

 mixed together and analysed on the following day, before it be- 

 came sour. Equal parts of the daily samples of corn meal and 

 middlings were mixed together, and at the close of the experi- 

 ment a small sample was drawn from each for analysis. By this 

 means the average composition of each food stuff was deter- 

 mined. This composition is given in the following table : 



TABLE I. 



The pigs were carefully watchdd, both day and night, and 

 the dung was collected and put into glass jars. The dung was 

 weighed each day, and at the close of the period was placed in 

 a large porcelain dish and dried as quickly as possible, until it 



II 



