SECRETARY'S REPORT. 



67 



Analysis of cob of Button corn, Massachusetts. Small, yel- 

 low kernel, large cob, weighed 830 grains ; powdered dried 

 cob. Fixed drying oil, 0.249 ; sugar, 0.333 ; gum, albumen 

 and astringent extraction, 2.700. Total, 3.282. Cobash, 

 yielded potash, 0.410; soda, 0.174; silica, 0.135; phosphate 

 of lime, 0.042 ; phosphate of magnesia, 0.020 ; phosphoric acid, 

 0.023 ; oxide of iron, 0.038 ; chlorine, 0.049 ; unburned carbon, 

 0.127 ; carbonic acid and loss, 0.255. Total, 1.353. 



The analysis of Indian corn may be given as follows : — 



Making, in all, one hundred parts. In other words, there are 

 in it, of 



Fat forming principles, gums, &c., . 88.43 

 Flesh forming principles, gluten, &c., 1.26 

 Water, ...... 9.00 



Salts, 1.31—100 



A glance will show how greatly the fat-forming principles 

 predominate in the one hundred parts. There is hardly any 

 other grain which yields so much for the support of animal 

 life. 



It was with reference to these facts, that Boussingault and 

 others formed their Tables of Nutritive Equivalents, that is, of 

 the comparative amount of flesh, or fat, or bone, or milk-pro- 

 ducing substances in different articles of food for man and 

 beast, and they agree very closely with the results of practical 

 observation. Of course there will be some slight variations in 

 difference of climate and soil, but they will not be of any great 



