346 REPORT—1852, 
some future occasion; before closing this paper, however, we propose to 
call attention to a mere summary statement of one of these experiments. 
But, apart from the considerations involved in the question of the varying 
composition of increase, or from the fact that our own feeding experiments 
(vhich, so far as we are aware, are the largest comparable series bearing upon 
the point) afford testimony in the same direction, we think there is evidence 
of another kind of the probable correctness of the decisions of practical ex- 
periments which have thus been objected to. Thus the comparative prices 
of the Leguminous seeds and the Cereal grains, may be taken as a pretty safe 
condemnation of the measurement of feeding value according to their per- 
centage of nitrogenous constituents. In matters of this kind, indeed, espe- 
cially when staple and generally used articles of food are concerned, the 
market is one of our shrewdest judges, as we shall presently endeavour a 
little further to illustrate. 
Whilst speaking of the comparative feeding values of the Leguminous seeds 
and the Cereal grains, we may casually allude to some other considerations 
of much interest bearing upon this question, which, however, we cannot in 
any degree adequately discuss in this place. 
As a general rule, it may be said, that weight for weight, the Leguminous 
seeds contain about twice as much of the nitrogenous constituents as the 
Cereal grains. We have elsewhere shown, that in a Leguminous crop, under 
equal circumstances of soil and season, an acre of land will frequently yield 
twice or thrice as much of nitrogenous constituents as in a Cereal grain ; and 
again, that in the latter an inerease of produce is not obtained except at the 
cost of more nitrogen in the manure than is contained in that increase. How 
is it, we would ask, if this be the case, and if really these foods are valuable 
in proportion to their richness in nitrogenous constituents, that according to 
the usual state of the market, we can obtain, for a given sum, about twice as 
much nitrogenous substance in the Leguminous seeds as in the Cereal grain ; 
or how is it, on the other hand, that the Leguminous crop does not, much 
more than is in fact the case, supersede the Cereal grain in the field, the feeding 
shed, or even on the table? We have, it is true, much yet to learn of those 
minor differences of composition to which is due the greater or less adapta- 
tion to the instinctive wants of the system of the various constituents of which 
our staple articles of food are made up, but we think that in no considerations 
of this kind could we seek an adequate solution of our question, On the 
other hand, we believe that in the Leguminous seeds the due proportion of 
the non-nitrogenous to the nitrogenous constituents is not observed. It is 
obvious, if this be the case, that in the use of the Leguminous seeds, instead 
of the Cereal grains, more than was requisite of nitrogen would be taken into 
the system before the adequate supply were attained of the non-nitrogenous or 
respiratory materials ; nor, as the markets go, would the relative prices of these 
seeds and grains be found to interfere with a somewhat lavish use and expen- 
diture of nitrogen in the former. 
In the facts which are here briefly stated, we have surely very curious and 
interesting matter for reflection ; and we have brought to our view a striking 
instance of the mutual adaptations which are everywhere traceable in the 
practical operation of natural laws. Thus, then, we have said, that under 
given circumstances, the Leguminous crop will give a much larger acreage 
yield of nitrogen than the Cereal grain; and that an inerease of produce of 
the latter is not obtained except at the cost of more nitrogen in the manure 
than is obtained in this increased produce ; whilst in point of fact, in the or- 
dinary practice of rotation in this country, the growth of the Leguminous corn 
or fodder crop, with its large per-centage and actual amount of nitrogen, is 
itself frequently either the direct or indirect source of the nitrogenous ma- 

