1895.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



179 



In Table I. will be found the percentages of furfurol, 

 pentosans and extract matter found in the feeds consumed. 

 It will be seen that the pentosans equal from one-third to 

 one-half of the extract matter. 



Table II. shows the percentages of pentosans in the excreta 

 of the sheep during the diifereut feeding periods. 



Table I. 



■ Pentosans in Food tested. 



* In a former article, published in "Agricultural Science," concerning the digestibility of 

 the pentosans, the percentages of pentosans were calculated by multiplying the per cent, of 

 furfurol by 1.38. This was the old way, and if none of the pentosans were destroyed in the 

 process of distillation it would give the correct percentage. It gives, however, considerably 

 lower percentages than when the formula as suggested by Flint is used. The digestion 

 coefficients would not be affected, however. In the present calculations we have used ITlint'e 

 formula, believing it to be much nearer correct. 



