130 ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



immature crops. Up to two or more grains per pound of the 

 green material have been found, and it is suggested that any- 

 thing above half a grain of hydrocyanic acid per pound (i.e., 

 about 0-007 per cent.) of green material indicates the prob- 

 ability of poisoning resulting from the use of the fodder. 

 Small quantities of hydrocyanic acid , have also been found in 

 young maize plants and Kaffir corn, as well as in other millets 

 and sorghums. The danger of poison is, liowever, probably 

 nil with maize, slight with matured millets or sorghums, but 

 great with immature sorghums and millets. 



Composition of Seeds of Millets and Sorghums. 



2. Leguminous Seeds. — Many plants of the "Legumi- 

 nosse," or pod-bearing family, are grown as farm crops. They 

 differ in composition from the cereals mainly in containing 

 more nitrogenous matter. The stems and leaves, too, are much 

 poorer in silica and phosphoric acid, but richer in lime than 

 those of the cereals. 



Beans. — Several plants go under this general name. The 

 common field -bean fVicia faha or Faha vulgaris) is largely 

 grown in some districts. The Scotch horse-bean and the tick- 

 bean, or English horse-bean, are varieties. As a rule beans do 

 best in a clayey soil, and yield about 30 bushels of seed and 

 1 to 1 J tons of " straw " per acre. French or kidney beans 



