10 THE STOCKFEEDER'S COMPANION 



sulphur and sometimes phosphorus in addition to 

 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The 

 albuminoids are largely stored in the seeds and 

 fruits of plants. 



Fibre. This is often called woody fibre, on account 

 of its indigestible properties. As the plant grows it 

 requires more and more fibrous tissue to support its 

 increase in size and weight, and for this purpose the 

 plant utilises the carbohydrates (sugar). If the plant 

 is allowed to get dead ripe, as is sometimes the case 

 with cereals, the stem or straw consists almost entirely 

 of woody fibre and becomes very brittle. 



Ash Constituents or Mineral Matter. These are 

 taken up from the soil and later transferred to the 

 seeds and the body of the plant generally. 



The more the plant uses these minerals in the 

 formation of foliage or seeds, the more freely will 

 the minerals be absorbed by the roots from the' soil. 



IV. ESTIMATION OP NUTRIENT CONSTITUENTS 

 IN PLANTS. 



The nutrient constituents manufactured by plants 

 are found to a greater or less extent, in most of the 

 plants or parts of plants (seeds, etc.) which are fed 

 to stock. Above we have noticed that albuminoids, 

 amides, fats, carbohydrates, fibre, and ash are formed 

 in plants, hence it is important to know how the 

 chemist discovers the amounts of each of the nutrients 

 contained in any given food-stuff, e.g., oats, peas, 

 beans, etc. 



Before doing this, it may help the reader if the 



