DRY MATTER OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS 7 



Distribution of the Mineral Elements in Plants. — Let us see 



the proportions of mineral elements that the plant stores up in 

 its period of growth. This table is figured on dry matter.^ 



Apple 



Gooseberry 



Strawberry 



Orange 



Sigar beet 



Sugar beet leaves 



Turnip 



Turnip leaves 



Cabbage 



Cauliflower 



Onion 



Sul- 

 phur 



.04 

 .08 

 .04 

 •05 

 .06 

 •32 

 •36 

 •44 

 .53 

 • 44 

 .12 



Composition of the Dry Matter of Animals. — The proportion 

 of carbon to oxygen is greater in animals than in plants. The 

 increase of carbon over oxygen is due to the presence of fats in 

 the animal body. Fats are made up largely of carbon. As in 

 plants, the elements carbon and oxygen are found in the greatest 

 amounts. The following table^ gives the composition of a fat 

 ox and two steers. 



Carbon 



Oxygen 



Hydrogen 



Nitrogen 



Mineral compounds (ash) 



Two steers 2 years old 



Maine Exp. Station 



Per cent. 



60.0 



14.I 



9.0 



5.8 



II. I 



The above table is interesting because it shows that the animal 

 body is composed so largely of carbon and oxygen. It also 

 shows that the largest part of the elements required by animal? 

 does not have to be supplied to growing crops, as most of the 

 animals' food is obtained by the plant from the air and water. 



1 Bui. 201, Ohio Experiment Station, 

 s Jordan, "The Feeding of Animals." 



