FOOD AND FEEDING. 383 



vast range of materials which civilized man has at his command for 

 the purpose of food : these few preliminary remarks on the chemical 

 constituents of food having been intended to aid in appreciating the 

 value of different kinds. 



Commencing with the vegetable kingdom, from which our early 

 progenitors, probably during long ages, drew all their sustenance, the 

 cereals, or cultivated grasses, come first, as containing all the elements 

 necessary to life, and being therefore most largely consumed. Wheat 

 and its congeners, which rank highest in quality, had been distinguished 

 in the form of bread, as " the staff of life," long before the physio- 

 logical demonstration of the fact had been attained. Wheat, oats, rye, 

 and barley, maize and rice, are the chief members of this group ; 

 wheat containing the most nitrogenous or flesh-forming material, be- 

 sides abundance of starch, a moderate amount of fat, together with 

 sufficient saline and mineral elements. Rice, on the other hand, con- 

 tains very little nitrogen, fat, and mineral constituents, but starch in 

 great abundance ; while maize, with a fair supply of nitrogenous and 

 starchy matter, contains the most fat or heat-producing material of 

 the whole group. As derived from wheat must be named the valuable 

 aliments, macaroni and all the Italian pastes. Derived from barley is 

 malt-saccharine, parent of the large family of fermented liquors known 

 as beer. And from various other grains are obtained, by fermentation 

 and distillation, several forms of ardent spirit. Vinegar, best when pro- 

 duced from the grape, is also largely made from grain. 



The legumes, such as beans, lentils, and peas, form an aliment of 

 great value, containing more nitrogen even than the cereals, but with 

 fat in very small proportion, while starchy matter and the mineral ele- 

 ments abound in both groups. 



The tuber finds its type in the potato, which contains much starch, 

 little nitrogen, and almost no fat ; in the yam also. The roots may be 

 illustrated by the beet, carrot, parsnip, and turnip, all containing little 

 nitrogen, but much sugar, and water in large proportion. Derived 

 from roots and stems of foreign growth, we have arrowroot, tapioca, 

 and sago, all starches and destitute of nitrogen. Fatty matter is abun- 

 dantly found in the olive, which supplies a large part of the world 

 with an important article of food. The almond and other seeds are 

 also fruitful sources of oil. 



Under the term " green vegetables," a few leading plants may be 

 enumerated as types of the vast natural supplies which everywhere, ex- 

 ist : The entire cabbage tribe in great variety ; lettuces, endive, and 

 cresses ; spinach, seakale, asparagus, celery, onions, artichokes, and to- 

 mato, all valuable not so much for nutritive property, which is incon- 

 siderable, as for admixture with other food chiefly on account of salts 

 which they contain, and for their appetizing aroma and varied flavors. 

 Thus condiments are useful, as the sweet and aromatic spices, the pep- 

 pers, mustard, and the various potherbs, so essential to an agreeable 



