162 OUR FARM CROPS. 



equal those of wheat or barley ; while the proportion of 

 oil or fatty substances it contains place it on a level as a 

 fattening grain with Indian corn; indeed, none of our 

 ordinary food-grains contain the combination of flesh and 

 fat-forming compounds in equal proportion to the oat. 



The straw and the husk have also been examined, and 

 their feeding value determined in the same manner as the 

 grain of the oat. The straw was found by Boussingault 



to Contain of- 

 Nitrogen compounds, 1'8 



Other organic compounds, 65'9 



Ash (inorganic), 3'6 



Water, 28'7 



100-0 



This hardly gives a sufficiently high value to the straw, 

 as it evidently refers to straw in a partially dried con- 

 dition. When quite dried (air), and fit for carrying and 

 use as fodder, it only contains about 12 to 15 per cent, of 

 water, and consequently would show a larger proportion 

 of valuable matter. 



The husk has been examined by Norton, and found to 

 possess a certain feeding value, though far below that of 

 the husk or bran of wheat. 



Two varieties of oats were examined, both grown in 

 Northumberland, with the following results : 



Some experiments by Dr. Voelcker, 1 in reference to 

 "the relative nutritive value of oats cut green and cut 

 fully ripe/' may be turned to practical account by those 

 who grow oats only for consumption on the farm. Oat 



1 High. Soc. Jour., 1850, p. 250. 



