62 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



of the substance under examination from which the oil has 

 been removed in its estimation, I at once treat with a hot 

 solution of sodium or potassium hydrate, and then with hot 

 sulphuric acid (with the necessary washings after each), thus 

 obviating entirely the digestion in the cold, which, as will 

 be easily understood with a material containing consider- 

 able proportions of oil and albumen, was a tedious operation 

 indeed. 



By this process the determination of oil and fibre in a 

 linseed or cotton cake, or any such substance, can be easily 

 accomplished in one day, and, as I have already said, it was 

 wont to occupy at least six ; thus a great saving of time is 

 effected, and, what is of still greater value, more trustworthy 

 results are, in my opinion, obtainable. 



The following observations are made in the hope that they 

 may be brought under the notice of some of our agriculturists, 

 because there are a few points in regard to feeding stuffs on 

 which many farmers are at present misled. It is not un- 

 common for some chemists to " slump together " in their 

 reports starch, sugar, woody fibre, etc., which is a very con- 

 venient mode indeed ; but why not indicate by name merely 

 all of the supposed constituents, and then state the 100 ? 

 Such a system is simply absurd, and ought not to be tolerated. 

 If all the constituents of a feeding cake are in normal pro- 

 portion, all is well ; but if, on the other hand, the woody fibre 

 present be excessive, then, however rich the material may 

 otherwise be, the feeding and fattening ingredients are more 

 than neutralised by the indigestible matter. I might give 

 numerous instances in proof of this statement, but suffice it 

 to say I have known of death resulting to young cattle from 

 their having been fed upon a material such as I have indicated. 



I came in contact recently with an agriculturist (a man of 

 considerable intelligence), who, in common with many others, 

 had been taught to believe that in forming an opinion of a 

 feeding stuff from an analysis (such as he until recently was 

 accustomed seeing), the only things of importance to be ob- 

 served were the percentages of oil and albuminous compounds. 

 Whether it be the getting over the woody-fibre difficulty, or 

 one still less excusable, there is not the least doubt that there 



