122 



GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



Table X. Analysis of Artificial Grasses. {In 100 parts of 

 the srass dried at 212^ Fahr.) 



A glance at this table will show that the different principles 

 iu the artificial grasses vary to a great extent, as follows : — 



Flesh-forming principles, 

 Fat-producing principles, 

 Heat-giving principles, 



The difference in composition exhibited in the natural grasses 

 of table IX. are very marked, and of course, the value of the 

 grasses as compared with each other must vary greatly. Still, 

 the practical value of a grass depends somewhat upon circum- 

 stances which cannot be analyzed, such as the period at which 

 it arrives at maturity, and the particular soil and location of 

 the farmer. It might happen that a grass not in itself so rich 

 in nutritive qualities as another, would be preferred on account 

 of its coming to maturity just at the time when the farmer 

 most needed it. But the particular value of this table is, that 

 it shows the comparative nutritive qualities of the grasses, since 

 all the specimens were collected and investigated in the same 

 manner, at the same period of growth, — or as nearly as possi- 

 ble, — when in the flower, so that whatever sources of error 



