230 COMPOSITION OP TIMOTHY. 



ian rye grass and crested dog's-tail, a grass not com- 

 mon with us, and the irrigated grasses. In point of 

 soluble, heat-producing principles, sugar, gum, and 

 starch, it is surpassed by the Italian rye grass, but by 

 no others. The analyses of this grass in its green and 

 dry states in Tables VI. and VIII. fully justify the prefer- 

 ence which we have long shown for the use of Timo- 

 thy ; for, as taken from the field at the time of blossom- 

 ing, it will be found to contain less water, a greater 

 percentage of flesh and fat forming principles, and less 

 useless matter in the shape of woody fibre, than most 

 of the other grasses. The deductions of science cer- 

 tainly correspond, in this case, with the results of 

 practice. 



A comparison of Tables VI. and VIII. with Tables 

 VII. and IX. will show the comparative advantages of 

 the use of the artificial grasses, in point of albuminous 

 or flesh-forming principles, and fatty matters. The car- 

 bonaceous or heat-producing principles remain nearly 

 the same throughout, while the percentage of waste 

 matter or woody fibre is less than in the natural grasses. 

 This is an important fact, worthy of the careful consid- 

 eration of the farmer. 



In the sixth column of Table VIII. wifl be found the 

 percentage of ash of each of the grasses analyzed. 

 Table X. contains a still further analysis of this ash, 

 which gives all the inorganic constituents which the 

 plant derives from the soil and the manures furnished 

 to it. It is important and suggestive to one who will 

 examine it carefully, as indicating the kind of manure 

 which in many cases it may be desirable to applj', while 

 it will throw still further light upon the practical and 

 comparative values of each species which the farmer 

 proposes to cultivate, by showing the extent to which 

 it will be likely to exhaust the soil. 



