COMPOSITION OF SEEDS. 137 



composition of these crops, but simply their general 

 character. The greater portion of them are made up 

 from Prof. Johnston's Lectures; a few are from other 

 sources. They represent the composition of the whole 

 seeds in the grains, not of the ground flour, from 

 which most of the woody fibre or bran has been sepa- 

 rated, and in which jonsequently the percentage of 

 starch is much larger. 



The composition of oats as given here, is of course 

 that of the grain deprived of its husk. 



This table shows, at a glance, the distinction be- 

 tween the four classes of crops which it represents, as 

 to their organic part. The range of difference in the 

 composition of the four grains as shown, is quite 

 trifling, when we consider their different properties as 

 they are employed for food. 



With regard to meadow hay, I do not profess my- 

 self satisfied, but give the above as a summary of the 

 best results hitherto obtained. They are from John- 

 ston and Boussingault, and indicate an amount of nu- 

 tritive matter which seems to me to need confirmation. 

 I have reduced their proportions somewhat, and still 

 the analysis, as it stands, looks quite high in some 

 points. 



Of some most important crops in certain portions 

 of this country, we have as yet no organic analysis, 

 that are sufficiently precise and reliable for insertion 

 here; such are tobacco, cotton, and the sugar cane. 

 An examination of the organic bodies in those crops, 

 carried out properly, would be of very great benefit 

 to the whole country. 



