NOTES ON ANALYSES OF OATS. 



For comparing the results of these analyses with those heretofore 

 made by this Department and in other places the table of maxima, 

 minima, and means is inserted below. 



Table of maxima, minima, and means. 



a Washington. 

 b Kansas. 



c Wyoming. 

 d Illinois. 



eOhio. 

 /Pennsylvania. 



g Michigan . 

 fcTJnhulled. 



In discussing the comparative results contained in the above table, 

 it will be noticed at once that the samples examined at the World's 

 Fair contained much less water than those reported by Konig. These 

 samples were almost wholly of domestic origin, and thus show that the 

 oats follow the other cereals which have been mentioned in having a 

 less quantity of moisture when grown in the United States. The per- 

 centage of indigestible fiber also appears to be somewhat larger than of 

 other sets of samples. This may be due to the fact that naturally the 

 largest and finest looking kernels would be selected for exhibition and 

 the hulls of these kernels would be correspondingly developed. In the 

 samples formerly examined by the Department of Agriculture we find 

 the same striking deficit in moisture that has been noticed in the other 

 cereals and the consequent increase in the percentage of other constit- 

 uents, notably albuminoids and oil. It must not be forgotten, however, 

 that these samples can not be compared with the other sets in the series, 

 because the hulls of the kernels were removed before the analyses were 

 made. Taking into consideration all the data at hand, it may be said 

 that the typical oats of the United States maybe described as follows: 

 One hundred kernels of the unhulled oats will weigh 3 grams and will 

 consist of 2.1 grams kernels and 0.9 gram hulls. The sample would 

 contain in its normal state 10 per cent of water, 12 per cent of albumi- 



