278 Bulletin 135. 



stituents of lean meat, blood, and all internal organs. Since a 

 large number of fodders are lacking in this class of constituents, 

 the amount of protein that a fodder contains is largely a measure 

 of iis value. 



Ether extract is mainly composed of fats and oils, and is usually 

 spoken of as such. It is used by the animal as a heat producer 

 or stored up in the tissues of the body as surplus fat. For these 

 purposes it is worth nearly two and one-quarter times as much as 

 starch, sugar, gum, and other carbhydrates- 



Nitrogen-free extract consists of those substances containing 

 no nitrogen that are soluble in water and dilute acids and alkalies; 

 it is mainly made up of starch, sugar, and gum, and the whole 

 class is often spoken of as carbhj^drates. The functions of these 

 carbhydrates in the animal economy is mainly that of heat and 

 fat producers. 



Fibre is that portion of the plant not dissolved by the action of 

 dilute acids and alkalies. In composition it is a carbhydrate, and 

 its function as a fodder is the same as the other carbhydrates, but 

 being less digestible is of less value." 



A most important element which enters into determining the 

 feeding value of corn is the degree of maturity it reaches before 

 being cut. It increases in value very rapidly as it approaches the 

 period of maturity. In the case of corn planted in hills so that 

 it can be given tillage the moisture may be conserved even during 

 drought so that the corn is enabled to continue growth until it 

 reaches maturity and posesses its greatest feeding value. With 

 the sowed corn conditions are entirely different, for long before the 

 time of maturity the corn has ceased growth because the moisture 

 supply has been used up. In 1896 the corn on the broadcast plat 

 was dry and parched ready for cutting August 14th. Before cut- 

 ting the plat two rows were cut from the outside where the 

 sunlight and moisture had been more abundant. The weight of 

 the forage from the two rows was 330 pounds. On the same date 

 two rows were cut through the center of the plat where sunlight 

 had been excluded and moisture deficient and the total weight of 

 the forage from the two rows was only 81 pounds. The whole 

 plat of broadcast corn was cut August 14th in order to save it. 

 The adj oining plat of drilled corn was suffering from drought and 



