328 



MAKUAL OF OATTIiE-I^EEBIKG. 



All kinds of cliaff are, as a rule, poorer in crnde flbro 

 tlian tlie straw, and it is lience to 1)0 assumed tliat the 

 digestibility of the remaining ingredients is correKSpond- 

 ingly higher; but direct experiments on this point are 

 still lacking. The mechanical condition of thebe feeding- 

 stuffs causes theni, when fed in proper quantity, to be 

 more agreeable and palatable to cattle than whole or 

 cut straw. 



Maize Cob. — The question of the nutritive value of 

 maize cob is one which has long been under discussion by 

 practical farmers, but to which no decisiye answer can yet 

 be given. The evidence of chemical analysis goes to show 

 that, like straw and similar fodders, its chief value* is as a 

 source of carbhydrates. The average of nine analyses of 

 Amei'ican maize cob "^ gives it the following conij)osition : 





Air-diy, 



Wator-frec. 



Water 



0.16 



• • • • 



Ash. 



1.32 



1.45 



Protein 



2.23 

 82.04 



2.44 



Crude fibre , . 



85.31 



Nitrogen-free extract 



5485 



00.85 



Fat 



0.41 



0.45 









100.00 



100.00 



'No experiments on the digestibility of maize cob have 

 yet been made, and hence it is impossible to pronounce 

 definitely upon its nutritive value. Presumably, a consid- 

 erable portion of it would prove to be digestible, particu- 



*E©port Conn. Ag'J Expi. Station, 1870, p. 145. 



