Xutritke Matter of Grasses. 



171 



works have been effected. The example here furnished by Sir 

 Thomas Hesketh might judiciously be followed by many, with 

 advantage to themselves and to the community. 



I cannot conclude this report without acknowledging the valu- 

 able assistance which has been freely afforded me by the late 

 Mr. Boosie and Mr. Porter, his assistant, and for wluch I have 

 much pleasure in now tendering my thanks. 



February 2S. lSo2. 



XII. — On the relative Xutritive and Fatteninq Properties cf 

 different Xatural and Artificial Grasses. By J. Thomas ^VA^, 

 Consulting Chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society of 

 England. 



It is very generally known to those who have interested them- 

 selves in the historv and progress of agriculture in this country, 

 that at an early period of the present century the Duke of Bed- 

 forch impressed with the importance of ascertaining, so far a5 pos- 

 sible, the relative productiveness of different kinds of gi'asses, and 

 also their relative nutritive value for the feeding of animals, set 

 on foot a series of experiments at \Voburn to determine these 

 points. To Mr. George Sinclair the conduct of this investigation 

 was deputed : and to this dav Mr. Sinclair's excellent work, em- 

 bodying the results that were obtained, remams the text-book on 

 the grasses. 



Mr. Sinclair's method of procedme was simple enough. He 

 had tw^o f-[uestions to determine : the first of these being the rela- 

 tive productiveness of different grasses, or, m other words, what 

 quantity of each mi^ht be grown on a given area of soils of dif- 

 ferent C|ualities and capabilities. To determine this pomt, Mr. 

 Smclair' had recoui'se to the obvious method of growing the dif- 

 lerent gi*asses in plots of a definite size, and carefully weighing 

 the produce of each. 



The second question — that of the nutritive quality of the 

 gi*asses so grown — required for its solution an expenditure of 

 greater sldll : and Sir Humphry Davy was asked to suggest the 

 proper methods. 



Ihe plan adopted by 3Ir. Sinclair, at the susfgestion of this 

 illustrious chemist, was also verv simple. A given weight of the 

 grass, either in its natural state or after being dried, was sub- 

 mitted to the action of hot water xill all the soluble parts were 

 taken up. The liquid was then separated from the undissolved 

 woody matter bv fi/irration, and carefullv evaporated to drvness. 



