LETTER OE TRANSMITTAL 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY, 



Washington, July 25, 1898. 



SIR: I transmit herewith, for your inspection and approval, the 

 manuscript of Bulletin No. 50 of this division, relating to the composi- 

 tion of inaize in all its parts. 



The material contained in this bulletin has been compiled from the 

 records, mostly recent, of the investigations of the Division of Chem- 

 istry of the composition of maize. Some of the data have also been 

 derived from the researches of the agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations. No attempt has been made to give a complete sum- 

 mary of the work which has been done in this country on this product, 

 but simply to present, in a condensed form, the more important data 

 in connection with its composition. 



The immediate object of the preparation of this bulletin is to pre- 

 sent it to the Third International Congress of Applied Chemistry, in 

 Vienna. There is in Europe a considerable degree of prejudice against 

 the use of Indian corn as a human food, and its value as a cattle food, 

 both in respect of its grain and its stover, is not fully appreciated. It 

 is believed that this brief summary of our present knowledge on the 

 subject will prove advantageous both to the maize growers of this 

 country and to the food consumers of Europe. 

 Eespectfully, 



H. W. WILEY, 



Chief of Division. 



Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary. 



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