[Footnote 2:  Journ.  Chem.  Society, March, 1884, p. 124.]

I am, however, considering now the organic constituents.  Calculating the percentages of these in the grass and silage, we obtain the following figures: 

Percentage Composition of Organic Compounds.

Grass.            Ensilage. 
Fat (ether extract)               3.01               6.31
Soluble albuminous compounds      8.29}             {7.01
}10.75   11.43{
Insoluble "            "          7.46}             {4.42

Mucilage, sugar, and extractives 12.52               5.84
Digestible fiber                 38.96              39.14
Indigestible woody fiber         34.76              37.28
-------            -------
100.00             100.00

The difference in the total nitrogen in the grass and silage is equal to 0.68 per cent. of albuminoids.  Practically it is a matter of impossibility that the nitrogen could have increased in the silo, and it will be a very safe premise upon which to base any further calculations that the total amount of nitrogen in the silage was identical with that in the grass.  There may have been a loss, but that is not yet proved.  Arguing then upon the first hypothesis, it is evident that 100 parts of the organic matters of silage represent more than 100 parts of the organic matter of grass, and by the equation we obtain 10.75:11.43 ::  100:106 approximately.  If now we calculate the composition of 106 parts organic matter of grass, it will represent exactly the organic matter which has gone to form 100 parts of that present in silage.

The following table gives these results, and also the loss or gain in the various constitutents arising from the conversion into silage: 

Organic Matter.

In 106 pts.  In 100 pts.  Loss or
Grass.  Silage.  Gain.

Fat (ether extract) 3.19 6.31 +3.12
Soluble albuminous compounds 3.49 7.01 +3.52
Insoluble " " 7.91 4.42 -3.49
Mucilage 13.27 5.84 -7.43
Digestible Fiber 41.30 39.14 -2.16
Indigestible woody fiber 36.84 37.28 +0.44
                                ------- -------
                                106.00 100.00

These calculations show, provided my reasoning be correct, that the chief changes which take place are in the albuminous compounds, which has already been pointed out by Professors Voelcker, Kinch, and others; and in the starch, gum, mucilage, sugar, and those numerous bodies termed extractives, which was to be expected.  But they show most conclusively that the “decrease in the amount of indigestible fiber and increase in digestible” so much spoken of is, so far as our present very imperfect methods of analyzing these compounds permit us to judge, a myth; and I have not yet found any sufficient evidence