132 STORRS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
taken from a compilation of analyses and were used in comput- 
ing the nutrients in the ration fed, and the new ration was 
based upon these computations. In all cases, however, anal- 
yses were finally made of all feeding stuffs used, so that the 
calculations of the nutrients in the rations as published are 
based upon the results of the actual analyses of the feeds used 
and weights fed in the different tests. The chief uncertainty 
as to the actual amount of digestible nutrients per cow per day 
lies in the factors used for computing digestibility of the nutri- 
ents in the different materials. So far as possible, these 
were taken from results of actual digestion experiments with 
materials similar to those that were fed in the tests, but in 
case no experiments had been made with such material, the 
factors used were those for other material of a like character. 
SUMMARY OF TESTS FROM 1892 TO 1897 INCLUSIVE. 
The results of the tests made during five winters from 
November, 1892, to March, 1897, were discussed in some detail 
in the report of this Station for 1897 (pp. 17-66). ‘The results 
may be briefly summarized in this connection on account of 
their bearing upon the studies here reported. 
The studies included tests with thirty-two different herds. 
In each case a study was made in which the ration was that 
regularly fed by the farmer; and in thirteen cases a second 
_ study of the herd was made shortly after the first, in which a 
different ration, proposed by the Station, was used. ‘Thus the 
total number of tests made up to 1897 was forty-five. 
For convenience, the thirty-two tests in which the ration 
was that ordinarily fed have been divided into two groups ac- 
cording to the proportion of digestible protein in the ration. 
The first group is comprised of those herds receiving ordinarily 
less than two pounds of digestible protein per cow per day, and 
the second group those receiving more than two pounds. In 
the first group there are included sixteen herds, with a total of 
226 cows. ‘The average amount of digestible protein per cow 
per day was 1.62 pounds, and the nutritive ratio was 1 to 8.1. 
The average daily milk and butter production were 16.3 and .87 
pounds respectively. The second group also includes sixteen 
herds, with 227 cows. ‘The average amount of digestible 
