76 THE CHEMISTRY OF THE FARM. 



long in the field, and undergone fermentation as well as 



washing. 



• Having pointed out the variations which are liable to 



occur, we may now consider the average composition of 



the -various foods shown in the table. 



The amount of total dry matter is seen to be tolerably 

 uniform throughout the various classes of dry foods, the 

 foods richest in fat being generally the driest. In the 

 green fodder and roots the proportion of water is generally 

 very large ; potatos contain the most, and white turnips 

 the least proportion of dry matter. 



We have already seen that albuminoids and fat are the 

 most concentrated forms of food which an animal can 

 consume ; those foods which are rich in albuminoids and 

 fat are therefore those which, generally speaking, have the 

 highest nourishing value. At the head of all foods in this 

 respect stand the various descriptions of oilcake ; they are, 

 without doubt, among the most concentrated foods at the 

 farmer's disposal. The leguminous seeds, as beans, peas, 

 and lentils, are rich in albuminoids, but not in fat. The 

 cereal grains are much poorer in albuminoids, containing 

 only about one-half the proportion found in leguminous 

 iseeds. Of the common cereals, oats are generally the 

 most nitrogenous, and maize the least. Oats and maize 

 are characterised by containing more fat than the other 

 cereal grains. The special characteristic of all the cereal 

 _grains is their richness in an easily digested carbo-hydrate, 

 starch. 



Of the three cereal products mentioned in the table 

 the bran and brewer's grains represent respectively the 

 husk of wheat and barley. These foods are richer both in 

 nitrogenous matter and fat, but contain a much more 



