Composition and Nutritive Value of Straw. 
401 
c rop was cut clown, I found as nuu li as 77 per cent, of moisture; ; 
and in the fairly ripe sample, gathered on the same day, 4(5-1 per 
cent, in round numbers. In })erfectly ripe straw, taken directly 
from the field, the proportion of moisture amounts to 30 to 40 per 
cent. 
IJoth samples were submitted to complete analysis. The first 
— that is, the straw which was somewhat green tluoughout its 
length, and decidedly so in the upper porticm, yielded the fol- 
lowing results : — - 
Oat-straw {Green). 
General Composition. 
Water 77-14 
yoliible orgauic matter (j"2'J 
Holiible mincnil matter l"ol) 
lusolublu organic matter 14'72 
liisohible mineral matter '-J'i 
100-00 
Detailed Composition. 
Water 77-14 
Oil -43 
*Sohiblo protein compounds 1-50 
Sugar, siiim, mucilage 4-30 
Digestible tibrc .. .. 7-17 
•^Insoluble protein compounds -81 
Indigestible woody fibre <j-7G 
Soluble mineral matter 1-57 
Insoluble mineral matter -2C 
100-00 
*Coutaining nitrogen '24 
fCoutaining nitrogen 'IS 
Total percentage of nitrogen -37 
Total percentage of ash 1*85 
Notwithstanding the large (-[uantity of moisture in this sample, 
a very considerable amount of sugar and other substances soluble 
in water was obtained, and nearly as much albuminous matter as 
in ripe oat-straw, with only 14 per cent, of moisture. The fairly 
ripe sample gave the following results : — 
Oat-straw {fairhj ripe). 
Water 46-G4 
t>olul)le organic matter 9-06 
Soluble mineral matter 2-30 
Insoluble organic matter 40-28 
Insoluble mineral matter 1*72 
100-00 
