CUTTING GRASSES. 
porting respiration. In the absence of fatty matter in the 
food, these compounds may go to form fat in the animal body. 
3. Oily and fatty matters, which are generally regarded as 
intended for producing fat in the animal system. For fattening 
purposes, 1 lb. of fatty matter equals 24 lbs. of sugar, accord¬ 
ing to the carefully conducted experiments of Lawes and 
Gilbert. 
4. Flesh-forming compounds, such as gluten, albumen, casein, 
&c. These are the most valuable constituents of plants. 
5. Mineral matters, which supply the same kind of matters 
to the bones and tissues of animals. 
6. Woody fibre, which gives the necessary bulk to the 
food, and which is not regarded as directly affording nourish¬ 
ment to animals, notwithstanding that experiments prove that 
the stomach is capable of digesting a portion of it. 
The value of a given quantity of any plant, in any stage of 
growth, depends upon the proportions in which these several 
constituents exist in it. Now, we find that grasses, while the 
blades are young, contain more water than at any subsequent 
period; that, as they grow in size and vigor, sugar, fat, and 
nitrogenized matters are produced; that up to a certain stage, 
while they increase in bulk, the quality of a given weight of 
that bulk is improving. If permitted to go beyond this stage, 
the quantity of woody fibre is rapidly increased at the expense 
of the sugar, and hence the quality deteriorates, so far as it 
depends on this constituent. 
It is admitted on all hands, that the grasses continue to 
increase in bulk and improve in quality up to the period of 
flowering; but beyond this, we are woefully deficient in our 
information on this important subject. 
It may be regarded as true of all meadow lands, that the 
weight of the crop is actually lessened by being allowed to 
ripen its seed. There are, it is true, a few grasses* which 
yield more when ripe than when in flower; but they never 
* Crested dog’s-tail grass (Cynosurus cristatus,) yields twice as much per 
acre -when ripe as when in flower.— Vide Sinclair’s “Ilortus Gramineus Wo- 
burnensis.” 
