262 THE PEA CROP. 



the opinion that has long been practically formed of their 

 value. Their proximate composition has been investi- 

 gated by several chemists -Einhof, Braconnot, Krocker, 

 Boussingault, and Horsford from whose analyses we may 

 calculate the average composition of peas to be 



Legumine, 23'4 



Starch,. 37'0 



Fatty matter, 2'0 



Grape-sugar, 2'0 



Vegetable fibre lO'O 



Pectic acid, 4'0 



Gum 5*0 



Water, U'l 



Ash (inorganic matter), 2" 5 



100-0 



Classifying these several compounds found in peas 

 under the general heads or divisions of food-materials, we 

 find them to consist of 



Nitrogen compounds (flesh-formers), 23*4 



Compounds not containing nitrogen, as starch, sugar, &c...... 50'0 



,, vegetable fibre, lO'O 



Ash (mineral substances), 2'5 



Water, 14*1 



100-0 



The following rough analysis by Einhof gives, for all 

 practical purposes, a sufficiently correct idea of their com- 

 position: 



Peas contain about 



Water, , 14'0 



Husk, 10-5 



Meal, 75-5 



100-0 



The meal is composed of 



Starch, 65' 



Gum, &c 12- 



Legumine (nitrogen compounds), 23* 



100- 



Peas enter more largely into consumption as an article 

 of food than beans ; although their nutritive value is 

 not superior, they are more palatable to the taste. In 

 England the meal is frequently mixed in small proportions 



