Composilioii and Nnlritiiic Value of Straw. 31)9 
General Composition. 
Wiitcr 13-70 
Soluble orpuiic matter • *^'04 
Soluble inorganic matter 2"7(i 
Insoluble organic matter 72'84 
Insoluble mineral matter 2-6G 
Detailed Composition. 
Water 13-70 
Oil 1-Gf 
*Albumen and otlier soluble protein eompounds "44 
Mucila^re, extractive matters (soluble in water) 7-60 
])igestible fibre, .<l-c 29-27 
Soluble inoriianic matter 2-7() 
"'finsoluble jn'otcin conqjoimds 2-31 
Indigestible woodj' fibre 3!)-57 
Insoluble inorganic matter 2-GG 
100-00 
*Containing nitrogen -07 
tContaining nitrogen "37 
Total percentage of nitrogen "44 
Equal to protein compounds 2" 75 
Total ash 5-42 
On burning, oat-str.iw leaves on an average 5 to 5i per cent, 
of ash, which has the following composition : — 
Ash of Oat-straw. 
Potash 19-14 
Soda 9-fi9 
Magnesia 3-78 
Lime 8-07 
Phosphoric acid 2-5G 
Sulphuric acid 3-2G 
Silica 48-42 
Peroxide of iron 1-83 
Chloride of sodium 3-25 
100-00 
Like all the ashes of the straw of cereal crops, oat-straw contains 
a large pi'oportion of silica, and but little phosphoric acid. 
It will be seen that oat-straw contains about as much oil, and 
the same proportion of albuminous compounds, as wheat-straw. 
There are, however, some remarkable differences between them ; 
for in oat-straw — at least in the specimen analysed — there is 
much more sugar and other .'soluble matter than in wheat-straw. 
It likewise appears that the crude woody fibre of the former is 
more easily attacked by dilute alkalies and acids ; so that by this 
treatment 29 per cent, of digestible fibre was obtained, and the 
indigestible fibre was reduced to 30^ per cent ; whilst in wheat- 
straw no less than 54 per cent, of woody fibre was found to be 
