1910.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 105 



cases the variations do not depart widely from this average. The 

 smaller amounts of molasses in most cases caused practically as 

 much absolute depression as the larger amounts. 



The amount of hay and gluten-feed fed to the different sheep 

 was probably a little less than a maintenance ration ; this was 

 intended in order that, when from 100 to 300 grams of molasses 

 were added, the total amount would not be more than the animal 

 could consume. 



With molasses composing G to 11.3 per cent, of the dry matter 

 of the ration, one notes, on the whole, comparatively little change 

 in the live weight, but when this was increased to some 20 per 

 cent., the live weight of each sheep shows a pronounced decrease 

 in almost e\'ery case, although the total ration was certainly in 

 excess of maintenance requirements.. The reason for this loss 

 in weight cannot be explained. Occasional qualitative tests for 

 sugar in the fteces were made with negative results. The urine 

 was not collected, but it is believed that sugar would not have 

 thus escaped unassimilated. The loss of digestible material 

 through depression hardly seems sufficient to account for it. A 

 possible explanation lies in the fact that each sheep was given 

 2,500 grams of water daily, usually considered a liberal allow- 

 ance. In most of the cases showing a loss in weight the sheep 

 drank the entire amount', but the attendant, contrary to instruc- 

 tions, failed to supply more. It may be that the molasses in- 

 duced an increased thirst, and required more water for its 

 complete metabolism than was supplied, and the intake of water 

 being relatively less than the outgo caused a temporary loss of 

 Aveight. In one case, however, where the 2,500 grams of water 

 were entirely consumed, the sheep neither gained nor lost in 

 weight. It is to be regretted, however, that this oversight 

 occurred. 



General Conclusions. 



(a) Hay and Molasses. 



1. Our own experiments indicate that molasses had relatively 



little effect in depressing the digestibility of the hay when the 



amount fed did not exceed 10 to 13 per cent, of the dry matter of 



the total ration. 



