FOOD OF POULTRY. 157 



regards wheat and rye, that the average consumption is not 

 always in proportion to the specified weight of the grain, yet 

 it is of some importance to know the relative weights of each 

 kind of grain, in all such experiments. M. Reaumur carefully 

 weighed a pint measure of each, in order to ascertain the differ- 

 ence of weight between them, with the following result : 



oz. dr. gr. 



Wheat, 19 1 52 



Rye, 18 4 12 



Indian corn, ...... 17 5 48 



Buckwheat, 16 7 12 



Barley, 14 48 



Oats, . ... . . . . 10 3 12 



After weighing, each of the sorts was put by itself in a paper 

 bag, and placed in a low and damp room, for nearly two months, 

 when they were again weighed. The measure, which had first 

 been carefully struck, was now found to have the grain consid- 

 erably above the brim, owing to the increase of bulk from moist- 

 ure. The weight of the different kinds was now as follows : 



oz, dr. gr. 



Wheat, 19 3 48 



Rye, 19 3 36 



Indian corn, 17 6 12 



Buckwheat, 17 48 



Barley, 13 7 12 



Oats, 10 3 12 



The same grains, after the second weighing, were kept in a 



hot room of a uniform temperature, sufficient to hatch eggs, for 



three months successively ; when they were again measured 



and weighed. They did not now fill the measure by a third 



14 



