BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF MOLASSES FEEDING. 237 



neither the chemical composition nor the action upon the organ- 

 ism that is possessed by albumen. They are mainly thrown 

 out in the urine. 



Weiske and Schulze declare that they are without nutritive 

 value and are simply acid amides; hence it is argued that no 

 allowance should be made for them in the calculation of a ration. 



Along with the amides, molasses contains from 40 per cent. Substances other 

 to 46 per cent, of sugar, besides which we may add 16 per cent, than amides and 

 of non-nitrogenous substances, meaning those which are not their in ^ uence> 

 precipitated by lime during defecation. 



Molassic salts are mainly carbonate of potassium and sodium, 

 and also chlorids. They contain also lime, sulphuric acid and 

 a small percentage of phosphate. 



A certain nutritive value must be placed upon the non-sugar 

 of molasses, as it has the property of exciting digestion and 

 facilitating certain biological phenomena, such as the produc- 

 tion of fatty substances and increasing the percentage of dry 

 matter in milk. This property, attributed to nitrogenous sub- 

 stances and the salts of molasses, cannot be obtained by the use 

 of salt alone. It is mainly this inexplicable property that con- 

 stitutes the real value of molasses; consequently, one cannot 

 deny that the nitrogenous substances of molasses have a certain 

 nutritive value and other special actions which in no way depre- 

 ciate the market value of the residuum. Even if we may make 

 no allowance for the nitrogenous substances of molasses, its nu- 

 tritive value is always greater than its market valuation. 



Notwithstanding the great variations that have been found in Beneficial effects 

 the composition of molasses, up to the present time no instances of molasses 

 have been recorded of any toxic effects that have followed from feeding, 

 molasses feeding; but it has very correctly been noticed that a 

 certain diarrhoea is apt to follow, due to the organic salts it con- 

 tains. This is the outcome of an excessive use of this residuum 

 for feeding purposes, and it is to be noticed that an excess of 

 any feed would have the same effect. Consequently the farmer 

 has every advantage in keeping the molasses percentage of a 

 ration within the limits of a standard, just as is done with every 

 other substance entering into its composition. 



The salts contained in molasses, far from being objectionable, 

 are on the contrary rather an advantage. 



