262 COMPARATIVE VALUE OF CORN FODDER. 



This grass is freely eaten by cattle, and it is sweet when green. Its watery extract, how- 

 ever, is not more sensibly sweet than that of the red-top. 



The foregoing analyses of the grasses were made for the purpose of comparing their 

 proximate composition with that of the maize plant. There is quite a striking similarity 

 between thera in the amount of wax and chlorophyl, while they differ in the quantity 

 of woody fibre. This increases, however, with the age of the plant ; but the samples 

 employed were not too far advanced for the purposes in view. 



The amount of water in the thoroughly sun-dried grasses is usually about 10 or 12 

 per centum, which seems to be about the quantity required constitutionally. The solu- 

 tions were all obtained by cold water : the chlorophyl and wax were obtained by boiling 

 in alcohol, the product of which was redissolved by ether, to separate the wax and chloro- 

 phyl. The remainder was steeped in water, which dissolved out the sugar and some 

 extract, leaving a small quantity of resin, soluble only in alcohol. 



The nutrient powers of the grain or kernel of maize varies considerably with the variety, 

 as may be seen in the foregoing analyses. Starch, as a general rule, is the element in the 

 greatest abundance ; but it has been shown, that in one variety it is small, amounting to 

 ll'GOper centum only. In this variety, the albuminous matters, including casein, are 

 increased to 20-14 per centum. The gluten, which is a nitrogenous body, also, when 

 counted with the albumen, gives us the additional quantity of 4-62 per centum of matter 

 fitted to supply the waste of the system ; or, in other words, to create nerve and muscle. 

 It is the most nutritive of the varieties of maize. If the dextrine is added to the starch, 

 this variety cannot be regarded as deficient in calorifient matter, and hence it is fully 

 equal in calorifient powers to beans. In another point of view, it must be regarded as 

 superior to beans, viz. its fattening properties; inasmuch as it contains 5' 11 per centum 

 of oil and sugar. Other varieties contain more than 50 per centum of starch, and less 

 albuminous matters than the sweet variety. A reference to the analysis will probably 

 furnish the reader with all the information he may wish. 



It is probable that modes of cultivation will materially affect the composition of this 

 grain. A high cultivation will increase the relative amount of certain elements : in one 

 kind of management, the albumen may be formed in greater quantity ; in others, the 

 starchy. This idea, however, requires proof by experiment ; and however it may prove, 

 it is evident that maize is very remarkable in its varied composition, as it exists in its 

 numerous varieties. 



To what extent the nutrient powers of meal and flour are changed by cooking, has 

 never been actually determined : their solutions are more or less altered. Thus the gluten 

 of flour, which is soluble in alcohol, ceases to be so in bread : starch is probably changed 

 into dextrine. The following is an imperfect analysis of bread, but may be stated for 

 some of the facts which it contains : 



