ON BEET-HOOT PULP, 
471 
it may be stated that neither common mangolds nor Silesian 
sugar-beets are ever left in the ground until they become 
over-ripe, which would have the effect of changing the soft 
and delicate fibre which forms the cellular and vascular 
tissues of the bulbs into hard and indigestible woody matter ; 
and it may be further mentioned that the young and tender 
cellular fibre of sugar-beets, when digested with weak alka- 
lies, and with dilute acids, is quickly transformed into sugar. 
There can, therefore, be no reasonable doubt that the gastric 
juice and other secretions in the alimentary canal of rumi- 
nating animals, more especially, will render available for the 
purposes of nutrition or deposition of fat a very large propor- 
tion of the soft and finely comminuted fibre of which the 
pulp mainly consists. 
Taking all circumstances into consideration, I am inclined 
to think that accurate feeding experiments probably will 
prove that a ton of fresh beet-root pulp, as it comes from the 
presses, or old pulp not containing more water than fresh, is 
worth as much for feeding purposes as l-±- tons of the roots 
from which it is obtained, or as much as 2 tons of common 
mangolds. I speak, of course, with reservation ; still, I think 
the preceding analytical data, and the considerations which 
have been laid before the' reader, justify the assertion that, 
weight for weight, beet-root pulp, containing not more than 
70 or 72 per cent, of water, is more valuable for feeding pur- 
poses than common mangolds, and even sugar-beets. 
In Belgium fattening beasts are sometimes fed upon nothing 
else but the refuse pulp of sugar manufactories. Considering 
the state in which stock is usually sold to the butcher in that 
country, it may answer the purpose of the manufacturer, who 
frequently keeps a number of fattening beasts, to dispose of 
his refuse pulp in this way ; but for the requirements of the 
English meat market I believe it would not be possible to get 
fattening beasts in a sufficiently good condition by feeding 
them exclusively upon pulp. 
Beet-root pulp is rather deficient in flesh-forming com- 
pounds, and hence the admixture of some meal or cake to 
pulp suggests itself as appropriate for supplying this de- 
ficiency. Cotton-cake, in particular, can be strongly recom- 
mended as an additional food for beasts fed upon pulp, for it 
not only makes up for the deficiency of flesh-forming matters 
in the pulp, but its binding properties are particularly useful 
in counteracting the tendency of the pulp to scour. 
Milch-cows may also be fed with advantage upon pulp and 
bean-meal, or pulp and cotton-cake. Indeed, a fair allows 
ance of bean-meal or cotton-cake, and as much pulp as the 
