Composition and Nutritive Value of Cotton-cake. 1 



however, is compensated to a certain degree by the larger amount 

 of oil in cotton-cake. 



5. The proportion of indigestible woody fibre in decorticated 

 cotton-cake is small, and not larger than in the best linseed- cake. 



6. Lastly, it may be observed that the ash of cotton-cake is 

 rich in bone-materials, and amounts to about the same quantity 

 as that contained in other oil-cakes. 



On the whole I am inclined to think, as far as I am able to 

 judge on the strength of the preceding analytical indications, 

 that the best decorticated cotton-cake possesses theoretically about 

 the same nutritive value as linseed-cake. Cotton-cake, of average 

 quality, is probably somewhat inferior to linseed-cake of average 

 composition. 



The physical condition of all the cakes, with the exception of 

 No. 4 and No. 7, was excellent. No. 7 was not quite so fresh 

 as the majority of the cakes, whilst No. 4 was decidedly an old 

 badly-kept cake. It was very mouldy, and tasted quite sour, 

 and appeared hardly fit to be given to animals. Cows and sheep 

 refused at first to eat it, but pigs eagerly devoured it. After 

 some time, however, both sheep and fattening cows took to it, 

 and notwithstanding its sour taste and bad condition, I am in- 

 formed, did well upon it. 



I refer here to the condition of cake, because an analysis does 

 not generally indicate whether a cake is new or old, well or 

 badly kept, or otherwise injured. It is important to bear this in 

 mind, for there can be no doubt that animals will thrive better 

 when fed upon fresh and sweet than upon old, mouldy, or sour 

 cake. 



The preceding seven analyses, on calculation, yield the fol- 

 lowing average numbers, expressive of the average composition 

 of thin decorticated cotton-cake : 



Water . .'. .. 9.28 



Oil , 16-05 



* Albuminous compounds (flesh-forming matters) .. .. 41'25 



Gum, mucilage, sugar, and digestible fibre (heat-producingi -^.4.5 



materials) J 



Cellulose (indigestible fibre) 8'92 



Mineral matters (ash) 8*05 



lOO'OO 

 * Containing nitrogen 6 58 



2. DECORTICATED COTTON-CAKE {Thick cake). 



This cake is from 2| to 3 inches thick, but does not otherwise 

 differ materially in its outward appearance from thin cake. It 



