ON VARIATIONS IN THE COMPOSITION OF OATS. 85 



In order that we may judge more clearly as to the effect upon 

 the nutritive value of the oats, it is desirable to show the 



Composition of one bushel of Oats 

 Harvested witliout Damaged by 



Substances useful as food — 

 Flesh-forming matter, 

 Fat and heat-j^roducing matter, 



Substances of little or no use as food — 

 Cellulose, &c., 

 Mineral matter, 

 Water, ..... 



Weight per bushel, , . 4lh 39|- 



It may be interesting if I add to the foregoing, the results of an 

 examination made of four croj^s of oats, grown from the same 

 seed, upon similar (loamy) soils, and under somewhat similar 

 management, but in very different climates : — 



Miles from Feet above 



Specimen A was grown on a small island, 

 „ B „ a highland farm, 



„ C „ an inland farm, 



„ D „ an inland farm, 



The composition of these oats, as shown by chemial analysis, 

 was as follows : — 



A B C D 



True albuminoid matters (gluten), . 9-48 8-23 8-73 7-72 



Starch, gum, &c., .... 61-27 61-10 61-62 64-98 



Fatty matter, 3-05 2-16 1-59 3-34 



Cellulose, 8-98 10-58 8-60 6-02 



Nitrogenous matter (not true albu- 

 minoids), -81 1-53 2-29 -77 



containing nitrogen, . . (-127) (-241) (-361) (-122) 



Alkaline salts in ash, . . . 1-12 -97 -76 "80 



Earthy salts in ash, ... -83 -78 -88 -96 



Silicious matter in ash, ... -97 1-12 1-31 "92 



Water, 13-49 13-53 14-22 14-49 



100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 



The produce of oats obtained in each of these cases is as 

 follows : — • 



A, 44 bushels of Oats per acre, weighing 29 pounds per bushel — 1276 Ib.s 

 ^'32 „ „ „ 40 „ „ 1280 „ 



C,42 „ „ „ 36i „ „ 1533 „ 



I^'-iS „ „ „ 38 „ „ 1824 ., 



