DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 183 



they can be used for the conversion of starchy 

 material into sugar. 



In addition to the changes in composition of 

 the grain due to the time of harvesting, there is the 

 influence of the soil, manuring, etc. Where the 

 crop has been thinly sown the plants are generally 

 stronger, but the lateral shoots do not develop so 

 well, and only small flat grains are obtained. Thin 

 sowing, as a rule, gives grain richer in protein and 

 carbohydrates, and poorer in fat than that from 

 thick sowing. Strong soil and plentiful manuring, 

 with nitrogenous manures, give grains of higher 

 protein content. In the case of barley it was found 

 from tests extending over six years that on un- 

 manured plots the protein was 9-8%, whilst after 

 heavy manuring with nitrate of soda it rose to 12-5%. 



In another experiment on oats on the unmanured 

 soil, they contained 77% crude protein and 3-8% 

 fat, whilst where nitrate of soda was used, the pro- 

 tein rose to 10-5% and the fat fell to 2-9%. If 

 there is a lack of water, as often happens on a light 

 soil, then the grains are somewhat richer in protein 

 than those grown on heavy soils, which retain water 

 better. The richer the grains are in nitrogen the 

 more do they tend to become " hard," or glutinous. 



It has already been seen (p. 130) that when cereal 

 grains are stored changes are found in the amount 

 of nutrients in the grains. 



When buying ground cereals care must be taken 



