182 



Nutritive Matter of Grasses, 



theoretical equivalents of nutritive value here shown are not in 

 accordance with experience. It is well to remember that many 

 of those grasses which are hig-hly valued are so valued not 

 because of their intrinsic worth as feeding agents, but because 

 they present themselves at a time when they are very much 

 wanted — that is to say, in early spring. The most remarkable 

 specimens in this Table are the water-meadow grass (first crop) 

 and the Dactylis glomerata (with seeds ripe). Both in the 

 quantity of nitrogen and fatty matters the water-meadow grass 

 nearly doubles the other grasses in the Table. This meadow 

 was composed principally of the grasses Poa trivialis, Holcus 

 lanatus, Horcleum pratense, Avena pratensis, Lolium perenne, 

 Sec, ; in none of which do we see the peculiarity which unitedly 

 they show in this meadow. Are we to attribute the high pro- 

 portions of fat and flesh-forming principles to the action of the 

 water in irrigation? If so, we have indeed in it a most im- 

 portant and powerful agent. The other instance named (the 

 Dactylis glomerata) shows us how large a portion of nitrogen is 

 accumulated in the plant as it progresses to maturity ; and what- 

 ever view we may take of this circumstance in relation to the 

 nutritive properties of a plant, we cannot doubt that it is then 

 that the soil most suffers from the drain which is made upon it. 



The Italian rye-grass (Lolium italicum) is remarkable for the 

 small quantity of useless matter (woody fibre), the large pro- 

 portion of soluble carbonaceous matters (starch, gum, &c.), and 

 the moderate proportion of albuminous constituents. From the 

 well-known value of Italian rye-grass the composition is a 

 matter of interest. 



We turn now for an instant to Table VI. 



In these, the artificial grasses, we find the proportions of the 

 different principles varying to the following extent : — 



Lowest. Highest. Average. 



Flesh-forming principles] . . 10-o4- 24*60 19'03 



Fat-producing principles . . 2- 51 4*77 3-65 



Heat-giving principles . . . 33' 15 49*65 41*29 



The chief peculiarities of this series, in comparison with those 

 of the natural grasses, consist in the much higher proportion (in 

 many cases more than double) of albuminous matters, and of a 

 certain, though less evident, advantage in the quantity of fatty 

 matters ; whilst the heat-giving principles remaining nearly the 

 same, the quantity of woody matter is necessarily much reduced. 

 As a proof of the high value which theoretically we should place 

 upon the artificial grasses, I may remark that in the dry state 

 they equal peas or beans in nitrogenous matter, and considerably 

 excel them in the proportion of fatty matter. 



I will take leave of these Tables by remarking that, if the 



