Nutritive Matter of Grasses. 



181 



be the last to under-rate their value, I do not consider that such 

 data are sufficient in themselves to settle the controverted points ; 

 and indeed, however much may be the labour and time bestowed 

 upon them, one such set of results is inadequate to convince us 

 that very considerable variations in composition might not be 

 found in the same plants under different circumstances of soil 

 and climate. But at the same time, whilst the trifling differences 

 in composition between specimens of one and another kind of 

 grass, as shown in these Tables, will not be insisted upon, we 

 have fairly a right to call attention to those broad lines of dis- 

 tinction which are to be found there. I shall, however, do this 

 very shortly, leaving to the reader, who cares to do so, to study 

 for himself the results which I have obtained, and to see how 

 far they agree with his practical experience of the feeding and 

 fattening value of the different grasses examined. 



The two last Tables give the composition of the grasses in the 

 dry state. The numbers must therefore be somewhat modified 

 for them when in the state of hay ; for, however dry it may ap- 

 pear, no grass can be made absolutely dry without artificial heat. 

 The usual proportion of moisture in well-made hay I believe to 

 be about 16 per cent. ; and I have found about this quantity in 

 several samples ; and a grass that has been dried artificially will 

 in the open air acquire about this degree of moisture. It would 

 have occupied space unnecessarily to have given the numbers 

 which would apply to the grasses in the state of hay, and the 

 calculation can be easily made by those who care for it : from 

 the percentage of albuminous or fatty matter in the dry speci- 

 men about one -sixth is to be deducted to ascertain the quantity 

 present in the hay. The numbers are, however, strictly com- 

 parable with each other. 



We will first advert to Table V. — that of the natural grasses 

 in the dry state — leaving out of the question for the present the 

 water-meadow grass and the Dactylis glomerata, of which the 

 seeds are ripened ; we find the following numbers to represent 

 the lowest, highest, and average quantities per cent, of the 

 different principles in the specimens of natural grasses 

 examined : — 



Lowest. Highest. Average. 



Flesh-forming principles . . 6-08 17-29 10-98 



Fat-producing principles . . 2*11 3 •67 3-08 



Heat-giving principles . . . 38*03 57 '82 45-57 



These difference are very great, and if composition influences 

 feeding properties, as it must as certainly as effect of any kind 

 follows cause, the value of the different grasses must be very 

 variable. I would, however, guard the farmer who has a prac- 

 tical acquaintance with this matter from judging hastily that the 



