380 On the Composition of Sorr/hum Saccharatum. 
I have likewise made a complete proximate analysis of the 
sorghum ; and, with a few modifications, followed the process 
which will be found described in detail in my Paper on 
the Composition of Parsnips and Belgian Carrots. (See Journal 
of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, vol. xiii., part ii.) 
The following table contains the results of the detailed proxi- 
mate analysis of the sorghum : — 
Detailed Proximate Composition of Sorghum Saccharatum on the 23rd of 
Avgusf. 
In Natural Dried a 
State. , 212-. 
Water 8o-17 
*f Albumen -36 2-42 
(Other soluble protein comix)unds .. .. "90 <j"08 
Mucilage, pectin, and digestible fibre . . 6-63 44*71 
Soluble mineral matters '81 5'4G 
flnsoluble protein compounds 1'25 8*43 
Indigestible woody fibre (cellular) .. .. 4'57 SO'Sl 
Insoluble mineral matters '31 2"09 
100-00 100-00 
*Containing nitrogen '21 1-71 
TContaining nitrogen -20 1-35 
Total quantity of nitrogen '41 2-76 
It will be seen that the sorghum contained a good deal of 
nitrogenized matter at the time when the analysis was made, 
but no sugar whatever. 
The taste of the plants on the 23rd of August was anything 
but sweet. I did not expect, therefore, to find much sugar, but 
I was unprepared to meet with a total absence of sugar. In 
order to verify this fact, 1 caused a direct sugar-determination to 
be made in a fresh and large quantity of the whole plant, but 
was unable to detect any appreciable quantity of sugar. 
Horses and cattle to whom the plants were given, at first re- 
fused them altogether, and after some time partook only sparingly 
of this food. They evidently did not relish it. 
There can be but little doubt that the sorghum was quite 
unripe by the end of August, and was unfit for feeding pur- 
poses. 
It is worthy of special notice that the plants contained no sugar 
at that time. Last summer was unusually hot, but, notwith- 
standing, the plants were quite unfit for feeding by the end of 
August. 
Fortunately, the last week in August and the month of Sep- 
tember were warm ; the plants therefore continued to grow 
^ igorously, and formed perfect stems, which to the taste were 
very sweet when examined on the 26th of September. 
