522 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



food is stored up in the animal's body ; the rest is voided in the urine 

 and manure. 



Protein (nitrogenous matter) is the name of a group of sub- 

 stances containing nitrogen. Protein furnishes the materials for the 

 lean flesh, blood, skin, muscles, tendons, nerves, hair, horns, wool, 

 casein of milk, albumen of eggs, etc., and is one of the most important 

 constituents of feeding stuffs. 



Albuminoid nitrogen is nitrogen in the form of albuminoids, 

 which is the name given to one of the most important groups of sub- 

 stances classed together under the general term protein. The albu- 

 men of eggs is a type of albuminoids. 



Amid nitrogen is nitrogen in the form of amids, one of the 

 groups of substances classed together under the general term protein. 

 Amids, unlike albuminoids, are usually soluble in water, but are 

 generally considered of less value as food than albuminoids. 



Carbohydrates. The nitrogen-free extract and fiber are often 

 classed together under the name of carbohydrates. The carbohy- 

 drates form the largest part of all vegetable foods. They are either 

 stored up as fat or burned in the body to produce heat and energy. 

 The most common and important carbohydrates are sugar and 

 starch. 



Fiber, sometimes called crude cellulose, is the framework of 

 plants, and is, as a rule, the most indigestible constituent of feeding 

 stuffs. The coarse fodders, such as hay and straw, contain a much 

 larger proportion of fiber than the grains, oil cakes, etc. 



Nitrogen-free extract includes starch, sugar, gums, and the like, 

 and forms an important part of all feeding stuffs, but especially of 

 most grains. 



Fat, or the materials dissolved from a feeding stuff by ether, is a 

 substance of mixed character, and may include, besides real fats, 

 wax, the green coloring matter of plants, etc. The fat of food is 

 either stored up in the body as fat or burned, to furnish heat and 

 energy. 



MISCELLANEOUS TERMS. 



Humus is the name applied to the partially decomposed organic 

 (animal and vegetable) matter of the soil. It is the principal source 

 of nitrogen in the soil. 



Micro-organism, or microscopic organism, is a plant or animal 

 toe small to be seen without the aid of a compound microscope. 



Fungus (plural, Fungi) is a low form of plant life destitute of 

 green coloring matter ; molds and mushrooms are familiar examples. 

 Many diseases of plants are due to fungi. 



Bacterium (plural, Bacteria) is the name applied in common 

 to a number of different or closely related microscopic organisms, all 

 of which consist of single short cylindrical or elliptical cells or two 

 such cells joined end to end and capable of spontaneous movement. 

 Many kinds of bacteria are harmful and cause diseases and other in- 

 jurious effects, but many are beneficial. Among the latter are those 

 which give flavor to butter and cheese, and those which enable legu- 

 minous plants to use the free nitrogen of the air. 



