134 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



tein for most purposes of feeding, it must be reinforced by other 

 more expensive food-stuffs in order to obtain the proper ratio of 

 this important nutrient. It is from these considerations that 

 farmers, and especially stock feeders, recognize the importance 

 of breeding corn for increase of protein content. 



Purpose of Decreasing the Protein. — On the other hand, there 

 is a demand from the manufacturers of those products which 

 are derived from the starch of corn, such as glucose, gum, dex- 

 trine, syrup, and alcohol, for a corn having a large proportion 

 of carbohydrates and not so rich in protein. The practical effect 

 of decreasing the per cent of protein is to increase the per cent 

 of starch; therefore, for such purposes there should be a place on 

 the market for corn which is bred for decrease of protein content. 



56 lbs corn. 



( 



6 lbs. 

 Protein. 



\ 



2f lbs. oil. i lb. ash. 



45 lbs. 

 ) carbo-hydrates 

 ( (mainly starch.) 



Figure 4. — Composition of one bushel of ordinary corn. In the photograph the crude fibre is miss- 

 ing, amounting to l-J pounds. 



Purpose of Increasing the Oil. — The oil of corn has in recent 

 years found such a wide commercial use that under the present 

 market conditions, it has become, pound for pound, by far the 

 most valuable constituent of the grain, and, whereas, formerly in 

 the glucose factories and corn mills the germs containing the oil 

 were almost a waste product, there is now an actual demand on 

 the part of these industries for corn which is richer in oil. It is 

 proposed to meet this demand by breeding corn for increase of oil 

 content. 



Purpose of Decreasing the Oil. — There is also a practical use 

 for corn with a low oil content. It has been found by investiga- 

 tion that in feeding swine, the oil in the corn tends to produce 

 a soft, flabby quality of flesh, which is very undesirable, especially 

 for our export trade, where the demand of the market is for a 



