120 BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 
Dry organic matter . . . » »« +» » « 15,26 86.86 
Fat (ether extract) . . + » » «© « »  Q,67 3.83 
Nitrogen. = . » + « + .« » » U.O¢G-4RORe 5.01 
Crodemanen ys 2! se fe wh ee 14.68 
Other analyses of the nettle plant have been published as follows : — 
I. (a and 6.) By Anderson, Hoffmann’s “Jahresbericht der Agri- 
kultur-Chemie,” 1864, 7. 95. The stems amounted to 47.48% of the 
sample, and the leaves to 52.52%. 
II. By Lenz, Hoffmann’s “Jahresbericht,” 1867, 10. 255. The 
same analysis is credited to Moser, in Hoffmann’s “Jahresbericht,” 
for 1873-74, 16. and 1%. (1) 311 and (2) 7. 
Ta. Ib. ptf Ib. 
Nettle. Green stems. Green leaves. Air-dried Air-dried 
leaves. leaves. 
Watere. tiers be wse he © 82.06% 75.65%, 11.427, 11.42% * 
Ash (free from C & CO,) . 1.66 4. 14.03 15.79 
Albuminoids 2% ats aes" Ue 2.12 5.87 18.34 21.35 
Carbohydrates (including fat) —— — 45.56 a 
Cellulosems ii. .ike. ueaneuue — —— 10.65 wa 
100.00 
Dry organic matter... 16.28 20.01 74.55 72.79 
BU CS on 5 Oe Gnd a —_— — 7.73 — 
Nitrogen .* 405. 0 = 3 0.34 0.92 —— 3.35 
The analyses show that the moderately young nettle plant is exceed- 
ingly rich in nitrogen, and that it contains comparatively little cellulose. 
In so far as its chemical composition is concerned, the plant manifestly 
has real merit as a foddering material. It will be seen for that matter 
that the analyses fully support the favorable reports of practical ex- 
perience that were just now cited. Unless the plant has some medici- 
nal or hurtful action that has not yet been determined, it must add 
decidedly to the nutritive power of the hay from those road sides, 
headlands, and waste places, where nettles abound, with which they are 
not unfrequently admixed in noticeable proportion. This remark 
applies, of course, with especial force to early-cut hay; for the stalks of 
the nettle plant become somewhat fibrous and stringy when fully 
grown. 
“The stalk is found to have a texture somewhat like that of hemp, 
and to be capable of being manufactured into cloth, ropes, and paper.” 
Loudon “ Encyclopedia of Plants.” 
“On being dressed in a manner similar to flax or hemp, the nettle 
* Assumed from No. II. 
