30 Composition and Nutritive Value of Straw. 



General Composition of Flax-chaff. 



Water.." .. ... .. 14-60 



Soluble organic matter 8.72 



Soluble mineral matter 

 Insoluble organic matter 

 Insoluble mineral matter 



4-07 

 69-25 

 3-36 



100-00 

 Detailed Composition of Flax-chaff. 



Water 14-60 



Oil 2-82 



* Protein compounds 4-75 



Sugar, giim, mucilage, &c 8'72 



Digestible fibre 18'56 



Indigestible woody fibre 43*12 



Soluble mineral matter 4-07 



Insoluble mineral matter 3'36 



100-00 



"Containing nitrogen *76 



Total percentage of ash . . 7 43 



It will be seen that this flax-straw contained nearly 3 per cent, 

 of oil and fatty matters, nearly 9 per cent, of substances soluble 

 in water, and about as much albuminous matter as good barley- 

 straw. In addition to these valuable nutritive constituents, it 

 furnished 18 per cent, of digestible fibre. I have, therefore, 

 little doubt that, mixed with sliced or pulped roots, it may be 

 advantageously given to cattle. As far as it is allowable to 

 judge by its composition, flax-straw is more valuable as a feeding 

 material than wheat and barley straw and bean-stalks ; it ought, 

 therefore, not be employed as litter. 



CLOVER AND MEADOW-HAY. 



As it may be useful for some purposes to compare the com- 

 position of straw with that of hay, I have made, in connexion 

 with these investigations on the feeding qualities of different 

 kinds of straw, two complete analyses of hay one of well made 

 clover-hay, and another of good meadow-hay, and obtained the 

 following results : 



Composition of Clover and Meadow-hay. 

 General Composition. 



Clover-hay. 



Water 20*50 



Soluble organic matter 18'07 



Soluble inorganic matter 4-43 



Insoluble organic matter 54*38 



Insoluble mineral matter 2*62 



100-00 100-00 



