COMPOSITION OF FOODS 135 



The leguminous seeds, beans, peas and lentils are 

 rich in albuminoids, but not in fat. The fat of beans 

 and peas contains a good deal of lecithin, a fatty body- 

 containing both nitrogen and phosphorus. The prin- 

 cipal carbohydrate of leguminous seeds is starch. 



The areal grains are much poorer in albuminoids, 

 contaitrmg only about one-half the proportion found 

 in leguminous seeds. Oats and maize are charac- 

 terised by containing more fat than the other cereal 

 grains. The special characteristic of all the cereal 

 grains is their richness in an easily digested carbo- 

 hydrate — starch. 



Of the cereal products mentioned in the table, the 

 bran, brewers' grains, and rice meal, represent respec- 

 tively the external covering of wheat, barley, and rice. 

 These foods are richer both in nitrogenous matter and 

 fat, but contain a much more considerable proportion 

 of fibre than the whole grain. Malt sprouts (known 

 also as malt combs) consist of the radicles of the 

 germinated barley, which are removed after the malt 

 has been dried. This material is very rich in nitro- 

 genous matter, a considerable proportion of which, 

 however, is in the form of amides. 



The straw of cereal crops contains a smaller pro- 

 portion of nitrogenous matter than any other food 

 employed by the farmer. Various celluloses form 

 80 — 90 per cent, of the dry matter. Starch is absent. 

 Oat straw is generally more nutritious than that of 

 barley or wheat. Straw has a higher feeding value 

 when cut before perfect ripeness is reached ; the 

 presence of clover or weeds will also increase its food 

 value. Pea straw is a food of much higher quality. 



In the case of green fodder, hay and silage, an in- 



