REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



95 



Constituents. 



Gluten 



Starch, jiiim, <tc 



Fatty matter 



Celliiloso 



Kitiogonons matter (not true albuminoids) 



Alkaliuo salts in ash 



Earthy salts in nsh 



Silicious matter in ash 



Water 



100. 00 



GEAINS. 



The value to the farmer of various grains, as* deduced from chemical 



analysis. 



The reports of the statistician for the past ten years (1870-1879) show 

 the following average values to the farmer of the principal agricultural 

 food materials : 



Table A. 



Varieties. 



Value per 

 busheL 



Value per 

 100 pounda. 



Com 



Wheat 



Eye 



Oats 



Barley 



Buckwheat 



Potatoes 



Hay, per ton of 2,000 pounds 



0. 4397 

 1. 0635 

 .7200 

 .3649 

 .7508 

 .7111 

 .5814 

 12. 8581 



0.78 

 1.77 

 1.29 

 1.14 

 1.56 

 1.42 

 .97 

 .65 



Average value per 100 pounds for grains, $1.327 ; average value per 

 100 pounds for all, $1,200. 



The substances which give these foods value may be divided into 

 three classes : 



1. Albuminoids : Nitrogenous comi)ouuds which serve as " liesh- 

 formers." 



2. Fats : Solid or liquid oils. 



3. Carbhydrates, or "nitrogen free extract": starch, sugar, gum, &c. 

 These, with the fats, are sometimes known as " heat or force givers." 



The comparative value of these three classes as foods has been approx- 

 imately determined by a commission appointed by the German agricult- 

 ural experimental stations. These results are reported by Koenig,* the 

 chairman of the commission, and are as follows : 



Table B. — Pyojyortionate values nutritive constituents in food materials. 



Albuminoids 34.6 = 4.74 



Fat 29.8 = 4.08 



Carbhydrates 7.3 = 1.00 



Having these proportionate values, we find that on an average speci- 

 men the value of our cereals is subdivided thus : 



* "Berechnung des Geldwertbes von Futtermittelu," in die Landwirthschaftlichen 

 Versuclis-Statiouen, Baud xxiv, p. 30;:^. 



