18 



constituents of the stalks vary greatly in their nature, it was deemed 

 advisable to separate them first by mechanical means into groups of 

 approximately like nature. To accomplish this purpose, the stalks 

 were cut in such a manner as to separate the nodes as completely as 

 possible from the internodes. It is evident that this separation is not 

 complete, because of the difficulty of cutting the stalk in every instance 

 at a point which is in the line of true demarcation between the two 

 parts. After the nodes had been removed the internodes were sepa- 

 rated, by means of a knife, into pith and external fiber. By reason 

 of the sharp distinction which can be made between these two parts of 

 the internodes, this separation was accomplished in almost a quautitive 

 way. The respective per cents of the three parts separated are given 

 in the following table: 



Per cent. 



Nodes 26.08 



Pith of internodes - 20. 25 



Shells of internodes 53. 67 



In round numbers it may be said that 100 pounds of Indian-corn 

 stalks contain 26 pounds of nodes, 20 of pith cellulose, and 54 of inter- 

 nodular shells. 



GENERAL COMPOSITION OF PORTIONS. 



Each of the various portions described above was ground to a fine 

 powder and subjected to a general analysis. The results obtained are 

 shown in the following table : 



Analysis of stalks of maize. 



DIGESTIBILITY. 



The samples were subjected to artificial digestion in order to deter- 

 mine the digestibility of the proteids therein. It was found that the 

 following percentages of the protein were digestible: 



Per cent. 



In the nodes 60. 05 



In the pith 67. 70 



In the shells 71. 72 



From the above data it is seen that, in so far as the protein is con- 

 cerned, the nodes are the least and the shells the most digestible, the 

 pith occupying an intermediate position. 



