248 REPORT ON NDTEITIVE VALUE OF CERTAIN AUSTRALIAN GRASSES, 



as will l>e seeu from Table i. Analyses carried out on other grasses at this 

 stage show that the non-protein nitrogen is usually about 40% of the total nitro- 

 gen, so that, in the case of the wilted sample, there has been apparently, a 

 breaking down of the proteins into their cleavage products. I hope to carry 

 out further experiments under similar conditions, in order to verify the result 

 which has been shown above. The non-proteins are found to be especially abun- 

 dant in immature plants, where the protein formation has not yet been com- 

 pleted, and in fermented foods such as silage, where the proteins have been 

 partially decomposed (Sleetcr Bull. 1916). Some such decomposition has ap- 

 parently taken place in the wilted sample of grass from Glen Innes. Sleeter 

 Bull (1916) also considers that there are considerable differences in the nutri- 

 tive value of the amino acids, some being essential to life, while others are 

 essential to growth only. "Therefore," he says, "different proteins may differ 

 considerably in nutritive value," e.g., zein, the principal protein of maize, has 

 no lysine or tryptophane (Osborne and Mendel, 1910). So far no great varia- 

 tions have been observed in the percentages of ether extract. The <'rude fibre 

 content appears to be rather low compared with American gi-asses (Grifliths, 

 etc., 1915), the pentosan also showing a slightly lower percentage. If these 

 results are borne ou,t by subsequent investigation, our native grasses should 

 compare favourably . with those of the United States, as the percentage of pro- 

 tein appears to be about the'same in each. It wiU be noticed that the percentage 

 of ash shows a decided drop at the second stage of growth. There is, of course, 

 nothing unusual about this. Preston (1S87) and Ivnight, Hepner and Nelson 

 (1911), stress the importance of giving particulars as to locality, soil, etc., 

 in these analyses. They have therefore been included in Table i. 



On examination of samples at the different stages as given in Table ii., 

 the highest crude protein content, so far, has been found to occur in samples 

 collected at the first stage and to diminish gi-adually as the grass grows older. 

 As before mentioned, however, crude protein at this stage is considered to con- 

 sist largely of amino acids, amides, etc. (Sleeter Bull, 1916), which although 

 highly important constituents (Osborne and Mendel, 1916; Nollau, 1915), have 

 hardly such a high nutritive value as the true proteins. 



In gi-asses examined at the second stage the protein content apparently 

 lessens considerably (Soderbaum, 1918). I have examined the flowers of some 

 grasses at this stage, and results are given in Table iii. I find that, at this 

 stage, apparently a considerable proportion of the protein is found in the 

 flower itself, and that considerably less occure in the leaves and stems than was 

 the case at an earlier stage. At the third stage still less appears to occur in 

 the leaves and more in the seed (Petrie, 1911; Schulze and Schutz, 1909). 



In connection with this work, my best thanks are due, first of all, to Pro- 

 fessor Watt, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in the University of Sydney, in 

 whose Department and under whose superxnsion the research is being carried 

 out, and to Mr. G. Wiiglit. Lecturer in Agricultural Chemistry in the University, 

 for many piactical suggestions; to Mr. .]. H. Maiden, for his kindness in al- 

 lowing me the use of the National Herbarium and of the library at the Botanic 

 Gardens, and for his readiness to afford me any assistance in his power; to 

 the members of his staff, particularly Mr. E. Breakwell, Agrostologist. and his 

 Assistant, Mr. Wliittet, who have gone to much trouble in procuring material 

 for me and heljjing me in other ways, and to Mr. W. M. Carne, Hawkesbury 

 Agricultural College, and the managoi-s of the various Experiment Farms for 

 forwarding material, etc. I am also indebted to Dr. ,1. M. Petrie for much 



