1911. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



81 



dust and ash. The presence of the dust and ash is due to the 

 fact that some of the sprouts are particularly rich in ashy mat- 

 ter, and because this ashy matter and dust have not been fully 

 removed. Well-cleaned sprouts should be given the prefer- 

 ence. 



(h) Covipusition (Per Cent.). 



Average 32 

 Samples. 



Average C5erniaQ 

 Sprouts. ' 



Water, . 

 .\sh, 



Protein, . 

 Fiber, . 

 Extract matter. 

 Fat, 



Total, 



U.O 

 5.9 

 26.4 

 12.3 

 43.1 

 1.3 



100.0 



10.0 

 7.2 

 24.4 

 14.0 

 42.4 

 2.0 



100.0 



The sprouts are characterized by a high percentage of crude 

 protein, considerable liber and little fat. While the nitroge- 

 nous matter in the sprouts is usually designated as true pro- 

 tein, it is well known that from one-fourth to one-third of the 

 nitrogen exists in the form of amids,^ hence the sprouts contain 

 about 18 per cent, of true protein. Amid bodies are sources of 

 heat and energy, and seem to protect the rapid breaking up of 

 the true protein in the animal body, but they cannot produce 

 flesh or milk casein. The extract matter contains a large 

 amount of cane sngar, a little invert sugar and a considerable 

 amount of pentosans. The fiber content is often increased by 

 the presence of barley hulls. The ash is rich in potash and 

 phosphoric acid and deficient in lime. 



1 E. Pott, already cited, p. 222. 



2 In the process of growth the plant elaborates the nitrates of the soil, first, into amid com- 

 pounds, — partially developed protein, — -and finally into the completed product, or true protein 

 which is largely deposited in the seed. When the seed begins to sprout the true protein is con- 

 verted back into the soluble amids, to enable the young sprouts to utilize it. Amids may bo 

 defined, so far as their use in the plant is concerned, as transportable protein. 



