tf AGRICULTURE, 105 



legumin. In other plants, the protective substances 

 are vegetable albumen, cassin, etc* 



Gluten absorbs large quantities of water, which 

 Causes it to swell to a great size, and become fall of 

 holes. Flour which contains iiiuch gluten, makes 

 light, porous bread, and is preferred by bakers, 

 because it absorbs so large an amount of water. 



These nitrogen compounds are necessary to animal 

 and vegetable life, and none of our cultivated plants 

 will attain maturity, unless allowed the material 

 required for forming them. To form these, is the 

 chief object of nitrogen given to plants as manure. 

 If no nitrogen could be obtained, these substaaces 

 could not be formed, and the plant would cease to 

 grow. On the contrary, if ammonia is given to the 

 soil, by rains, guano or stable manure, it furnishes 

 nitrogen, w r hilc the carbonic acid, and water, yield the 

 other constituents of protein, and a healthy growth 

 Continues ; provided, the soil already contains the 

 mineral matters required in the formation of the ash,, 

 in a condition to be taken up by roots* 



The wisdom of this provision is evident, when WG 

 recollect that the nitrogen compounds are necessary to 

 the formation of muscle in animals, for, if plants 

 Were allowed to complete their growth without a 

 supply of nitrogen, our grain, grass, and hay, would 

 not be sufficiently supplied to keep our oxen and 

 horses in working condition, 



THE RELATION BETWEEN PLANTS AND 

 ANIMALS. 



That this matter may be clearly understood, it 

 may be w'ell to explain more fully the application of 

 the different constituents of plants in feeding animals. 



