128 The Feeding of Animals 



ences being too large and too constant to be considered 

 accidental. Other experiments give varying and con- 

 flicting figures. If we assume that the constituents of 

 feeding stuffs have a certain fixed solubility in the di- 

 gestive fluids, then within reasonable limits the amount 

 of food should have no effect upon the proportions of 

 nutrients digested, but such an assumption cannot safely 

 be made. 



Doubtless no single statement concerning this point 

 will be found applicable to all animals and all rations. 

 Certainly, overfeeding may lessen the extent of solution 

 and is never wise, while under -feeding for the sake of 

 securing a maximum digestibility would not be good 

 practice. It is reasonable to suppose, however, that 

 the relation in quantity between the enzyms and the 

 food compounds has an influence, at least, upon the 

 rapidity of digestion ; and indeed investigations by 

 Stone very strongly point to such a conclusion, for he 

 found that the rate of ferment action was proportional 

 to the concentration of the ferment solution. 



EFFECT OF DRYING FODDERS 



At one time the belief became very firmly fixed in 

 the public mind that curing a fodder causes a material 

 decrease in its digestibility. Because this drying is 

 often carried on under conditions that admit of de- 

 structive fermentations or of a loss of the finer parts 

 of the plant, this view is probably correct for partic- 

 ular cases, but if it is accomplished promptly and in 

 a way that precludes fermentation or loss of leaves it is 



