THE GRASSES— CHEMICAL ANALYSES. 137 



Even a superficial glance at the foregoing will show 

 that in the grass grown in the Department Garden in 

 1 88 1 there is twice as much fat and ditto albuminoids as 

 that grown in Indiana ; and again, one cannot fail to 

 be struck with the difference in the analyses of the 

 Timothy grown in the Department Garden in 1880 as 

 compared with 1881. A similar table is given showing 

 the variations in composition of Cocksfoot grown in 

 different localities — also tables showing composition of 

 the grasses cut at different periods of growth, which are 

 highly instructive, but too long for reproduction here. 

 We have, however, compiled from those a table which 

 may be interesting as showing the average and com- 

 parative compositions of some of the most important of 

 the grasses. 



The more detailed tables, of which the following is an 

 abridgment, furnish data from which is derived the 

 general conclusion that as a grass grows older its con- 

 tents of water decrease, and so also does its ash, fat, and 

 albuminoids, while there is an increase in the carbohy- 

 drates (sugar, starch, and gum) and in the crude fibre. 



There is almost no exception to the fact that the 

 water decreases in the maturer specimens ; that is to 

 say, the plant gradually dries up and becomes less 

 succulent. The ash is very dependent on locality and 

 surroundings, and as the analyses here given includes 

 whatever soil may be mechanically adherent to the 

 blade or stalk as collected, it sometimes shows irregu- 

 larities. ■ The albuminoids decrease in amount with 

 great regularity. The fibre sometimes decreases (as, 

 for instance, in Bromus eredus), but the change in that 

 direction is never large. The non-albuminoid constitu- 

 ents (of the exact value of which to the animal our know- 



