52 MAINE STATE COLLEGE. 



in the two quantities being 206 pounds. This 206 pounds of 

 nutrients from the roots was offset by 208 pcunds of nutri- 

 ents from grain, a practically eduivalent quantity. Notwith- 

 standing this equivalence in the quantity of material in the 

 two rations, the twelve sheep receiving the more gi ain gained 

 during the 63 days 39 pounds more than did the other twelve. 

 There seems to be no reason why this test is not a fair one 

 and it furnishes a weighty bit of evidence against the some- 

 what common opinion that the dry matter cf roots has sn 

 especial and peculiar value beyond the small quartity which 

 it may be wise to feed for the purpose of giving variety to the 

 ration. 



There still remains to be considered the reason why the two 

 rations produced unlike result;, even though they contained equiv- 

 alent quantities of digestible material. "We find by examination 



of the figures last given that one ration furnished to the animals 

 considerable more digestible protein (nitrogenous compounds) 

 than did the other, and this fact seems to be the most reasonable 

 explanation of the difference in effect. The more nitrogenous 

 ration produced more increase in weight. This was the ration 

 having more grain and less rutabagas. This result is not surpris- 

 ing when we remember that the food of a pregnant ewe must 

 supply material for the growth of the wool and of the foetus, and 

 that in both these directions the demand is very largely for protein 

 compounds. 



