AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1915-16 15 



nick at one end of the polished grain marking the place 

 where it was located. 



Rice as an article of diet. It might be supposed that 

 the estimation in which any variety of rice is held among 

 the consumers, as evidenced by its market price, would be 

 mainly determined by its nutritive value and its palatibility. 

 The latter term includes culinary properties, such as flavour, 

 consistence, appearance, taste, etc., which cannot be 

 definitely described and are rather difficult to observe 

 accurately. 



As regards the nutritive value of rice, as revealed by 

 analysis, there is no doubt that, other things being equal, 

 the variety of rice which contains larger amounts of albumi- 

 noids is more valuable, inasmuch as albuminoids, which are 

 the flesh formers, are a more expensive form of food than 

 starch. The relative nutritive value of a sample of rice can 

 thus be assumed to depend on its albuminoid content. It 

 was noticed, however, that no accurate relation can be found 

 between the chemical composition and the value of a rice 

 from the consumer's point of view. 



In a well-balanced ration, the relations between the 

 albuminoids, the oil and the soluble carbohydrates should 

 vary within certain definite limits. Rice, however, in com- 

 mon with other cereals, contains an excessive proportion of 

 starch and is thus not suitable for use as the sole article of 

 diet by any one. 



This holds not only from the point of view of the organic 

 constituents but also of the mineral ones, which are the bone- 

 formers. Rice is quite poor in this respect also. The 

 importance of giving due consideration to the amount and 

 composition of the ash of foods is very great in order to 

 ensure the supply of material for the proper development of 

 bone, and of the mineral constituents necessary for vital 

 processes — factors which have as much influence on the 

 well-being of animals as proteids, carbohydrates and fats 

 in appropriate quantities. 



Where a variety of food stuff is used, the probability of 

 much injury being done by ignoring these aspects of the 



