10 



BULLETIN 630, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



nuts in some localities, it appeared desirable to determine the digesti- 

 bility of butternut oil for comparison with the values obtained for 

 the digestibility of other nut oils. 



Since it was impossible to procure any butternut oil in the market, 

 2 bushels of nuts were secured in northern New England. When 

 these had been thoroughly dried the kernels were removed and the 

 oil expressed (cold pressed) with a hydraulic press. The freshly 

 made oil possessed the qualities of a good salad oil and did not 

 exhibit in any appreciable degree the characteristic butternut flavor. 

 The chemical and physical properties of this oil were studied by 

 E. H. Kerr, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, whose report describes 

 it as : A clear, golden yellow oil of mild, pleasant odor, and agreeable 

 taste. The refractive index at 40° was found to be 1.4710, and the 

 iodin number 156.90. 



In this study of its digestibility, the butternut oil was, as usual, 

 incorporated in a cornstarch blancmange and served in conjunction 

 with the customary basal ration. Three subjects assisted in this study 

 and the results which were obtained are reported in the table which 

 follows : 



Data of digestion experiments with butternut oil in a simple mixed diet. 





Weight 



of 

 foods. 



Constituents of foods. 



Experiment, subject, and diet 



Water. 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Carbo- 

 hydrates. 



Ash. 



Experiment No. 732, subject R. F. C: 



Blancmange containing butternut oil . . 

 Wheat biscuit 



Grams. 

 1,205.0 



400.0 

 1,381.0 



184.0 



Grams. 



589.3 



36.0 



1,200.1 



Grams. 

 27. 5 

 42.4 

 11.0 



Grams. 



109.3 



6.0 



2.8 



Grams. 

 473.1 

 309.2 

 160.2 

 184.0 



Grams. 

 5.8 

 6.4 



Fruit 



6.9 

















Total food consumed . . 



3,170.0 

 118.0 



1, 825. 4 



80.9 

 44.1 

 36.8 



118.1 

 17.4 

 100.7 



1, 126. 5 



42.9 



1,083.6 



19.1 



Feces 



13.6 







5.5 

















45.5 



85.3 



96.2 



28.8 











Experiment No. 733, subject P. K.: 



Blancmange containing butternut oil 



1, 460. 

 307.0 

 691.0 

 257.0 



714.1 

 27.6 

 600.5 



33.3 



32.6 

 5.5 



132.4 

 4.6 

 1.4 



573.2 



237.3 



80.2 



257.0 



7.0 



4.9 



Fruit 



3.4 

















Total food consumed 



2, 715. 

 84.0 



1, 342. 2 



71.4 

 27.7 

 43.7 



138. 4 

 19.1 

 119.3 



1, 147. 7 



28.9 



1,118.8 



15.3 



Feces 



8.3 







7.0 











Per cent utilized 







61.2 



86.2 



97.5 



45.8 











Experiment No. 734, subject J. C. M.: 



Blancmange containing butternut oil 



Wheat biscuit 



1,612.0 

 387.0 



1,293.0 

 161.0 



788.4 



34.8 



1, 123. 6 



36.8 

 41.0 

 10.3 



146.2 

 5.8 

 2.6 



632.9 

 299.2 

 150.0 

 161.0 



7.7 

 6.2 



Fruit 



6.5 



Sugar 















Total food consumed 



3, 453. 

 75.0 



1, 946. 8 



88.1 

 24.1 

 64.0 



154.6 



8.2 



146.4 



1, 243. 1 



35.3 



1, 207. 8 



20.4 





7.4 







13.0 











Per cent utilized 







72.6 



94.7 



97.2 



63.7 











Average food consumed per subject per day. 



1,037.6 



568.3 



26.7 



45.7 



390.8 



6.1 



