13 



proteids aud a correspondingly higher content of carbohydrates. The 

 low content of proteids is due to the fact that the germ and the finer 

 envelopes are rich in proteid matter and are removed in the process of 

 milling. The low content of oil is due, of course, to the fact that the 

 germ has been extracted. The content of fiber, while low compared 

 with the whole grain, is high compared with a high-grade wheat flour. 

 A description of the samples analyzed and their composition follows: 



Composition and desertion of Indian-corn flours. 

 [Purchased for United States Army by Maj. H. Gr. Sharpe, St. Louis, Mo.] 



RELATIVE NUTRITIVE PROPERTIES OF WHEAT AND MAIZE. 



There is a widespread opinion that the products of Indian corn are 

 less digestible and less nutritious than those from wheat. This opinion, 

 it appears, has no justification, either from the chemical composition of 

 the two classes of bodies or from recorded digestive and nutritive 

 experiments. A study of the analytical data of the whole grain shows 

 that, in so far as actual nutrients are concerned, the maize is fully as 

 nutritious as wheat. The ash content of maize and its products is prob- 

 ably not quite so high as that of wheat, and there is, therefore, a silght 

 deficiency of the mineral foods employed in the nourishment of the body. 

 Inasmuch, however, as the cereals contain an excess of mineral matters 

 above the needs of the body, this slight deficiency is of no consequence. 

 In respect of its content of fat, Indian corn and its products easily take 

 precedence of all the other cereals, with the exception of hulled oats. 

 In round numbers, it contains twice as much fat or oil as wheat, three 

 times as much as rye, twice as much as barley, and two- thirds as much 

 as hulled oats. In regard to digestible carbohydrates, that is, starch, 

 sugar, dextrin, aud digestible fiber, it possesses a higher content than 

 hulled oats, almost the same as wheat, and slightly less than rye or 

 barley. Comparing the content of nitrogenous matters with that of 

 other cereals, it is found that the first place must be awarded to oats, 

 especially if they have been hulled. Indian corn, however, has nearly 

 the same quantity of proteid matter as the other leading cereals, oats 



excepted. 



EXPERIMENTS IN FEEDING MAIZE AND WHEAT. 



In regard to the digestibility of Indian corn and wheat, it must be 

 admitted that a larger amount of experience has accumulated with 



