COSSETTES AS FOOD FOR MAN. 155 



The last of these rations is proposed for oxen and cattle being 

 fed for a stock yard. It is evident that all these proportions 

 may be modified by the local conditions, the outcome of the ex- 

 perience of the cattle raiser. The farmer himself has at his 

 disposal the vast number of combinations of forages based upon 

 Wolff's tables, giving the average composition of such forages. 



The data published respecting the digestibility or assimilation Digestibility of 

 of albuminoids contained in the residuum cossettes varies con- residuum cos- 

 siderably. According to Henneberg it is only 45.01 per cent., Sttes - 

 but this average is entirely too low. Morgen declares that the 

 average is 76.03 per cent, for the pancreatin and pepsin com- 

 bined, which in reality corresponds in a measure to the average 

 of digestibility of the albumen in sugar beets. Regarding the 

 non-nitrogenous elements, Henneberg declares that the average 

 digestibility should be at least 84 per cent. This data demon- 

 strates beyond cavil that the forage under consideration has a 

 nutritive value which under no circumstances should be over- 

 looked, and consequently all efforts for its utilization are cer- 

 tainly justifiable. 



It is interesting to recall the various attempts made at its util- Cossettes as food 

 ization in the alimentation of human beings. It is mainly to for man. 

 the poor provinces of Bohemia and Poland that we refer, where 

 the struggle for life is such that any commodity having a nutri- 

 tive value at a reasonable price may be used. For example, 

 Fricke kept with salt, for a long period, white cabbage and beet 

 cossettes that had been previously boiled and washed. After 

 an interval of four months this combination still possessed an 

 excellent taste and could be eaten after being properly seasoned 

 with oil and vinegar. 



Ottocar Cech says that in Bohemia the cossettes are first 

 washed in cold water to free them from sand and dirt; they are 

 then allowed to ferment during a period of two or three weeks. 

 Under these conditions the final product has an excellent flavor 

 and odor, and when combined with caraway seeds is most 

 palatable. 



On the other hand Naprivil combines with the residuum cos- 

 settes a certain amount of beans and also lentils in order to vary 

 the nourishing combination. Under these circumstances there 



