MAIN TELA NCE OF ANIMALS. 409 



To complete the preceding ample table, I shall still add the equiv- 

 alents of a few articles of forage that have not yet been examined 

 chemically. 



100 of meadow-hay bjre replaced by : 



From 85 to 90 of sainfoin hay, according \o Petri and Meyer. 



By 90 of spurry hay " Petri. 



325 to 500 of green i^purry " Pabst and Fiottow 



42 to 50 of cliestnuts *' Blocli and Petri. 



By 50 of Indian chestnuts " Petri. 



C2 of turnsole seeds " Petri. 



109 of rye-bran " Block. 



In the list of substances there are so.ne which are used almost 

 exclusively for the food of man, and 1 have thought it not uninter- 

 esting to contrast these different articles wiih reference particularly 

 to the quantity of azote they contain. I have composed the follow- 

 ing table or list of equivalents on this basis ; ha\ ing assumed wheat- 

 en flour as the standard and called it 100. 'Vs all herbs, roots, 

 leaves, &c., may be pulverized after drying, I ha re spoken of these 

 articles dry under the name of meal. 



Wheat flour (good quality) ... 100 White-heart ( abl age 810 



Wheat 107 Cabbage meal 83 



Barley-meal 119 Potatoes 613 



Barley 130 Potato meal 126 



Rye Ill Carrots 757 



Buckwheat 108 Carrot meal 95 



Maize 138 Turnips 1335 



Yellow peas 67 Mealy bananas (Fi^us Indica) 700 



Horse-beans 44 Manihot (casava plant) 700 



White French beans 56 Name "? (discorea saliva) 300 



Rice 171 Apio? (arracacha) 1050 



Lentils 57 



Judging from the equivalents, leguminous vegetables must be pos- 

 sessed of a much higher nutritive value than wheat ; and it is known, 

 indeed, that haricots, peas, and beans, form in some sort substitutes 

 for animal food. The difference indicated is so great, however, that 

 it may surprise those who have never thought of the subject that 

 engages us. In a general way we are all perhaps disposed to re- 

 gard the articles that enter habitually into our food as highly nutri- 

 tious. The fact, however, is, that tubers, roots, and even the seeds 

 of the cereal grasses are but very moderately nutritious. If we see 

 herbivorous animals getting fat upon such things, it is only because 

 their organization enables them to consume them in large quantities. 

 1 doubt very much whether a man doing hard work could support 

 himself on bread exclusively. I am aware that countries are quoted 

 where the potato and where rice form the sole articles of food of 

 the inhabitants ; but I believe also that these instances are incom- 

 plete. In Alsace, for example, the peasantry always associate their 

 potato diet with a large quantity of sour or curdled milk ; in Ireland 

 with buttermilk. The Indians of the Upper Andes do not by any 

 means live on potatoes alone, as some travellers have said they do ; 

 at Quito, the daily food of the inhabitants is lorco, a compound of 

 potatoes, and a large quantity of cheese. Rice is often cited as one 

 of the most nourishing articles of diet; I am satisfied, however, af- 

 ter having lived long in countries where rice is largely consumed, 



35 



