Roots, Grains and Seeds 225 



be lifted several times. The percentage of dry matter 

 in roots and tubers varies in American products, on 

 the average, from 9.1 per cent in mangel -wurzels and 

 turnips to 28.9 per cent in sweet potatoes. Potatoes 

 are more nutritive pound for pound than roots. The 

 dry matter of this class of cattle foods is principally 

 carbohydrate in its character, though the proportion 

 of protein is as large and in some cases larger than in 

 certain grain foods. 



Two conditions are essential to the winter storage 

 of roots without deterioration; viz., a low temperature, 

 as near freezing as possible, and abundant ventilation. 

 Large masses of roots unventilated are apt to "heat," 

 and sometimes decay, with a resulting large loss in 

 nutritive value. 



GRAINS AND SEEDS 



The conditions which provide for the maintenance 

 of plant life also subserve the interests of the animal 

 kingdom. We have seen that this is true of the store 

 of starch and other compounds in tubers and roots, 

 and it is a fact of much larger significance in the 

 production of seeds, especially those of our cereal 

 grains, including barley, maize, oats, rice, rye and 

 wheat. Other seeds, such as buckwheat, cottonseed, 

 flaxseed, beans and peas, also contribute an important 

 addition to our animal feeding stuffs. In all these 

 species there is deposited in the seed-coats and either 

 around the chit or embryo or in the seed-leaves of the 

 embryo, a store of protein, starch and oil, the purpose 

 of which is to supply materials for growth during 



