158 
On Beet-root Pulp. 
Composition of Second Sample of French Beet-root Pulp. 
Moisture 77' 10 
*Albuminous compounds (flesh-forming iiiatterti) .. 1'93 
Mucilage, pcctinous compounds, and a little sugar 1"19 
Lactic acid 1"12 
Crude cellular fibre 16-07 
Mineral matter (ash) 2'59 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen -39 
This refuse pulp thus contained nearly 7 per cent, more water 
than the preceding one. Its taste was strongly acid, and on 
examination I found that the sour taste was due to lactic acid, 
of which the pulp contained fully 1 per cent. 
When beet-root pulp is kept for any length of time it turns 
decidedly acid, and in that state is quite as much relished by 
cattle and sheep as when fresh. Practical feeders with whom I 
came in contact maintain that old pulp is superior to new for 
fattening purposes. Be this as it may, the lactic acid which is 
generated during the time of keeping, certainly has the effect of 
preserving the feeding qualities of the pulp and of rendering it 
more digestible. 
Except in its more acid taste old pulp differs but slightly in 
its appearance and general characters from new. The plan of 
preserving beet-root pulp in a good condition for feeding pur- 
poses is extremely simple. All that is necessary is to dig a 
trench in the earth, to place in it the pulp, and to pile it up in 
the same way as a heap of mangolds or swedes, and to cover the 
heaps with the earth from the trench. In this way the residue 
may be kept for years in a good condition. 
On the occasion of our journey to Belgium I brought home 
with me a sample of old pitted pulp which had been kept for 
about one year, and submitted it to a general analysis. When it 
was analysed it yielded 61-74 per cent, of water; but as it no 
doubt lost some water on the road, it will be more appropriate 
to represent its composition in the same state of moisture as the 
specimen of English pulp, which, in round numbers, contained 
70 per cent, of water. 
This specimen of old Belgian pulp accordingly had the fol- 
lowing composition : — 
Composition of Belgium Beet-root Pulp one year old. 
Moisture 70-00 
Albuminous compounds (flesh-forming matters) .. 2-43 
Digestible fibre, pcctinous compounds, &c 18-67 
Woody fibre (cellulose) 6-48 
Mineral matter (ash) 2-42 
100-00 
* Coutaiiiiug nitrogen . . -39 
