32 
FRENCH MILITARY VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
less advanced, of the several kinds or conditions of the straw they 
have experimented on. Examined immediately after harvest, 
there is straw which contains as much as 26 , 00 of moisture. 
It is a well-known fact, that, in plants arrived at maturity, the 
part richest in azote, and consequently the most nutritive, is the 
seed ; but a fact of not less value to us is, that of the entire plant 
the most azotized parts are those contiguous to the seed. Accord- 
ing to which principle there ought to be a great difference in nutri- 
tive value between the different parts of wheaten straw. If, there- 
fore, in the experiments made by feeding on straw, that which was 
given proved to be short or mixed straw, or such as had been 
deprived of most of its ears, an unfavourable result would be 
obtained : and if, on the other hand, after having given an 
abundance of straw, we were to estimate the weight consumed by 
the quantity (by weight) left, a too favourable result would be put 
down ; animals standing up to their knees in straw never failing 
to select the ears and parts of the stalks around them. 
With a view of ascertaining the difference, in nutritive quality, 
between the superior portion of the straw and the entirety of the 
stalk, one- third of the length of the stalk of wheaten straw, compris- 
ing the ear, was examined ; 9 was found to be its equivalent in nu- 
tritive property : whence it results that the nutritive value of the 
superior extremity of the straw-stalk is at least equal to that of 
good hay. It may be added that, on the strength of this analysis, 
at a large farming establishment in the eastern part of France, dur- 
ing the last winter, horses have been fed on the tops of the straw 
with the best advantage. 
Oats. 
According to analysis, oats have varied in equivalent (to hay at 
10) from 5 to 7. We may, therefore, set them down at 6, the 
water of composition varying between 13 and 15 per cent. 
Bran. 
The bran examined contained 14 per cent, of water. Variation 
in its component water will operate upon its equivalent. Taken at 
a mean, it may be set down at 7. 
