CHAPTER XXXI 



Oats, Barley, Rye, Buckwheat, Rice, and Miscel- 

 laneous Seeds 



399. Structure of the Oat Kernel. Oats are composed 

 of two parts, the kernel and the hull. The hulls have 

 the same general composition as straw, and make up 

 about 30 per cent, of the weight. The different parts of 

 the oat kernal are : (i) Seed pod, (2) aleurone layer, (3) 

 germ, and (4) floury portion. The weight per bushel of 

 oats depends largely upon the amount of hulls ; in some 

 samples these make up 25 per cent. , and in others 35 per 

 cent, of the weight. 



400. Composition of Oats. When the hulls are in- 

 cluded, oats have a larger amount of fiber and ash than 

 any other cereal. The per cent, of fat is higher than in 

 wheat, barley or rye, and as high as in corn. Hulled 

 oats have about the same general composition as wheat, 

 with a tendency to a higher protein content. They are 

 also characterized by a high per cent, of fat. Variations 

 in the composition of oats are, to a limited extent, 

 noticeable. The ratio of hull to kernel influences the 

 composition more than any other factor. There is not a 

 great difference in the chemical composition of heavy- and 

 light-weight oats. Experiments at the Maine Experi- 

 ment Station show that the differences are mainly in the 

 amount of nutrients in a given volume of the grain, as a 

 bushel, rather than in percentage composition. This em- 



