table forage for stock.

COMPOSITION OF (DRY) JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE

Albuminous matters 4.6
Fatty matters 0.4
Starch, gum, &c. 19.8
Sugar 69.5
Fibre and ash 5.7
-----
100.0

The _Potato_, regarded from every point of view, is by far the most
important of the plants which are cultivated for the sake of their
roots. Its tubers form the chief--almost sole--pabulum of many millions
of men, enter more or less into the dietary of most civilised peoples,
and constitute a large proportion of the food of the domesticated
animals. The great importance of this plant, arising from its enormous
consumption, has caused its composition to be very minutely studied by
many British, Continental, and American chemists. With respect to its
nutritive properties, the least favorable results were obtained by the
American chemists, Hardy and Henry, and the most by the European
chemists.

The flesh-forming principles vary from 1 per cent., as found by Hardy,
to 2.41 per cent., the mean results of the analyses of Krocker and
Horsford. The proportion of starch in different varieties of the potato
also varies, but not to the same degree as the nitrogenous principles.
In new potatoes, only 5 per cent. has been found; in ash-leaved kidneys,
9.50 per cent.; and in different kinds of cups, from 15 to 24 per cent.
The amount of starch is also influenced by the soil, the manure, the
climate, and the various other conditions under which the plant is
developed. The proportion of starch increases during the growth, and
diminishes during the storage of the tubers.

Dr. Anderson is the most recent investigator into the composition of the
potato; the chief results of his inquiries are given in the following
table:--

ANALYSIS OF THE POTATO BY DR. ANDERSON.

--------------+--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+-------
|Regents.|Dalmahoys.|Skerry-blues.|White |Orkney |Flukes.
| | | |Rocks. |Reds. |
+--------+----------+-------------+-------+-------+-------
Water | 76.32 | 75.91 | 76.60 | 75.93 | 7