VOELCKER on the Chemistry of Food. 



According to these analyses, the natural grasses may be grouped 

 together in the following three classes, which, however, are not 

 separated from each other by definite lines of demarkation : 



The above analyses refer to grasses in a wild state ; in a cul- 

 tivated condition there can be no doubt many will exhibit a 

 different composition. Thus I found in a specimen of Italian 

 rye-grass, grown on a well-manured soil, 12'75 per cent, of flesh- 

 forming substances and 8'61 per cent, of ash, calculated for the 

 substance in an air-dry state, whilst Professor Way obtained only 

 8*66 per cent, of flesh-forming matters and 7*76 per cent, of ash 

 in the analysis of air-dry Italian rye-grass, grown in a wild state. 



.It is further worthy of observation that the grasses of irrigated 

 meadows are much more nutritious than those of non-irrigated 

 meadows. This, no doubt, is due to the disappearance of inferior 

 grasses from irrigated meadows, but perhaps also to the circum- 

 stance that the grass on such meadows is always cut earlier than 

 on ordinary meadows. 



8. ARTIFICIAL GRASSES. Under this head we have to consider 

 the composition of the various kinds of clover, sainfoin, lucerne, 

 vetch, rib-grass, Burnet, and of millefoil. 



We possess three series of analyses of artificial grasses. The 

 most complete series has been undertaken by Professor Way, the 

 second by Dr. Anderson (in * Transactions of Highland Society,' 

 March, 1853, p. 440), and the third by myself (in ' Journal of 

 Highland Society/ July, 1853, p. 56). As these are -the only 

 analyses that have been made with artificial grasses, and as the 

 results obtained by Way, Anderson, and myself somewhat differ, 

 I shall give the analyses of each experimenter separately in a tabu- 

 lated form: 



