VEGETABLE FOODS. 171 



if grown with clover, forms one of the best of the cereal straws, the 

 straw of winter barley being, however, the poorest in nutritive substances 

 of any form of straw. The following is the composition of barley-straw :— 



Solids, . 85 .7 per cent 



JNitrogenous matters, 3.4 



Fats, . . . . .1.4 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matters, 34.7 



Cellulose, . 41 8 



Ash, . . 44 



The following is the composition of barley-straw when grown with 

 clover : — 



Solids, . . . 85.7 per cent. 



Nitrogenous bodies, . . 6 5" 



Fats, . ... . 2'.0 " 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matters, . 32 5 



Cellulose, ... . 38.0 " 



Ash, ... 6^7 " 



Barley-straw, therefore, grown with clover, almost approaches an 

 average hay in nutritive value. The ruminants digest the following 

 amounts of the different constituents of barley-straw : 



Proteids, . . 20 per cent. 



Fats, 41.6 " 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matters, 54.1 " 



Barley-bran agrees in its general properties with the bran of the 

 better cereals. It contains — 



Solids, 85.8 per cent. 



Proteids, . 3.1 



Fats, 1.5 



Carbo-hydrates, . 38.5 



Cellulose, . 30.3 



Ash, . ' 12.4 



Barley-bran frequently contains large quantities of the barley -bristles, 

 and should then only be given to animals after being boiled or steamed. 

 Given dry, the bristles stick in the tongue, and produce inflammatory 

 reaction. Steamed barley also is a valuable food. By malting, the barley 

 undergoes mechanical and chemical alterations which lead to the 

 increase in its digestibility, and, although the starch is turned into sugar, 

 there is, nevertheless, in the process of malting a loss in nutritive con- 

 stituents of the total solids, especially of the nitrogenous bodies. In 

 sprouting there is likewise a loss of proteids, carbo-hydrates, and fats. 



Buckwheat is often used as a green fodder, and its grain is fre- 

 quently administered as dry food. The green buckwheat contains — 



Solids, 



15.0 per cent 



Proteids, 



2.4 



Fats, . . .... 



0.6 



Non-nitrogenous extractive matters, 



6.4 



Cellulose, 



4.2 



Ash, . 



1.4 



