8 



Potash. — Potash is one of the inorganic bases or substances found 

 in all plants, usually in combination with phosphoric or one 

 of the organic acids. 



Potential Energy. — The potential energy of a fodder or ration is 

 the sum of the heat producing power of its digestible consti- 

 tuents, expressed in terms of the caloric (or foot-tons). 



Protein, Crude. — By the term protein is meant practically all the 

 nitrogen-containing" substance present in ordinary agricultural 

 plants, chief of which, in point of prominence and nutritive 

 value, are the albuminoids, with amides forming the secon- 

 dary compounds. (See also albuminoids.) 



Ration. — A ration is a food mixture. (See Fodder Rations.) 



Resins. — Resins are organic bodies especially rich in carbon and 

 hydrogen, but poor in oxygen. They occur but very little in 

 agricultural plants. 



Salt. — Salt is a combination of sodium and chlorine. As an adjunct 

 to a ration, it assists digestion by incieasing the secretion of 

 gastric juice and by hastening the diifusion of liquids. 



Silica. — Silica is an inorganic substance deposited in the stem, 

 leaves, and outer bark of many plants. 

 It has no direct nutritive value. 



Sand. — Sand is fragments of crystals of silica. 



Soda. — Soda is one of the alkalies, usually present in plants ; and 

 is also a constituent of common salt. 



Starch. — Starch is a combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen 

 and is an important carbohydrate. It is changed to sugar 

 during the process of digestion. 



Sugars. — In chemical composition sugars very closely resemble 

 starch. They are soluble in water and entirely digested. 



Sulphuric Acid.— Sulphuric acid is a combination of sulphur, oxy- 

 gen and hydrogen. United to lime, potash, etc., it forms 

 sulphates. 



Water. — Water is a constituent of all feeds. Chemically it is a 

 combination of hydrogen and oxygen. On its presence, to a 

 considerable degree, depend the succulency and palatability 

 of a feed. It is of the first importance in promoting the solu- 

 tion, digestion, and assimilation of the nutrients, and the 

 excretion of waste products. 



Wax. — Wax is of limited occurrence in ordinary fodder plants, and 

 is of little or no nutritive value. 



