106 Analysis of Feeding Materials [159, 160 



are dried in exactly the same way. They are heated together 

 in the steam oven until the hay ceases to lose weight. 



When the moisture has been determined, the dry matter 

 left in the filter paper is ground up finely in a laboratory mill, 

 bottled, and labelled 'Dry matter.' This operation is greatly 

 facilitated by placing the hay in the water bath for a few 

 minutes after it has been finally weighed, and then grinding 

 whilst hot, as it is then much more brittle than when cold. 



159. Woody Fibre. — The portion which has been 

 weighed out for this estimation is placed in a 20-oz. beaker 

 and treated exactly as described in the case of oil cakes, para- 

 graph 143, except that in each digestion double the quantity 

 of liquid is used. After the fibre has been transferred to the 

 cloth it will often contain green colouring matter. This should 

 be removed by soaking for an hour in alcohol, then for another 

 hour in ether. It is then transferred to a small weighed beaker, 

 dried, and weighed. The ash in the fibre should be deter- 

 mined and subtracted from the total weight. 



160. Crude Fibre. — The portion weighed out is placed 

 in a 20-oz. beaker. The beaker is filled up with water and 

 allowed to stand twenty-four hours. The liquid is decanted 

 off and rejected. The beaker is filled up again, allowed to 

 stand three hours, and decanted. A third soaking is made for 

 one hour. It next has to be treated with hot water. The total 

 washing is as follows : 



24 hours in cold water ; 



\ „ „ hot „ (four times) 



After these soakings have been performed, boil for a minute 

 with water twice. When decanting it is difficult to remove 

 most of the water. This, however, may be accomplished by 



