186 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Resume of Results. 



Comparison of the digestibility of the pentosans with the 

 digestibility of the other fodder constituents : — 



The above figures show that the pentosans in six out of 

 nine cases are practically as digestible as any of the other 

 groups of fodder substances. 



In both samples of hay the pentosans are fully as digestible 

 as either the cellulose or protein. In case of the dried 

 brewers' grains and the two brans the fat and protein are 

 noticeably more digestible than the pentosans. 



With the more concentrated foods it will be observed that 

 the pentosans are as digestible as either the fat, protein or 

 extract matter. The 7'esidts make clear that association has 

 a great deal to do with digestibility. In the hays, corn cobs 

 and brewers' grains, where the woody substance (lignin) is 

 present to a considerable extent, the digestibility of the 

 pentosans is noticeably less than when the incrusting sub- 

 stance is absent. Whether or not the pentosans are chemi- 

 cally united to the incrusting substances is not known, but it 

 is not at all improbable. It is certainly clear that the in- 



