148 



EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



The average results for the two sheep show that 46.34 

 grams less of the dry matter of the hay and gluten feed were 

 digested with than without the molasses; or 100 grams of 

 molasses caused a depression of 18.5 grams in the digestibility 

 of the hay and gluten ration. Excluding the ash, 100 grams 

 of molasses caused a depression of 3.8 grams protein and 12.3 

 non-protein substances. 



When 250 grams of molasses were fed in connection with 

 hay, the digestion depression for organic matter was at the 

 rate of 4 grams per 100 grains molasses; and when fed in 

 connection with hay and a nitrogenous concentrate, the diges- 

 tion depression was 16.1 grams. It is intended to repeat the 

 latter experiment by feeding different quantities of molasses 

 with hay and gluten feed, in order to see if the depression 

 continues as high as that observed in the present test. 



The average of three complete analyses of Porto Rico 

 molasses has shown it to contain, in round numbers, 24 per 

 cent, of water, 6.25 per cent, ash, 2.75 per cent, protein and 

 67 per cent, carbohydrates. Inasmuch as the so-called protein 

 is practically all in amido or other forms Avhich are of no 

 value as sources of nutrition, it may be said that the food 

 value of molasses consists in its 67 per cent, of carbohydrates. 

 Applying the digestion coefficient of 86, obtained for the 

 digestibility of the extract matter when the molasses was fed 

 in combination with hay and gluten feed, one obtains 58 per 

 cent, of digestible carbohydrates, equivalent to 1,160 pounds 

 in a ton. 



