FORAGE CROPS, MEADOWS AND PASTURES I285 



material than in the samples of green material, indicating that duplication 

 of samples is more important in the former than in the latter. 



3) Corrections by means of samples can be accurately made from 

 either green or field-cured material, provided care is used in sampling. 



4) Considering accuracy of results, facility of handling, and ease 

 in figuring percentages, 5-pound samples of field-cured material and 10- 

 pound samples of green material are recommended as the most desirable 

 sizes for practical use 



5) Samples need not be duplicated more than three times. 



6) The percentage of moisture in the dift'erent crops at that period of 

 growth when the}' are ordinarily har\'ested for forage was as follows : Al- 

 falfa at Chico, Cal., 75 to 78 per cent., average 76.9 per cent; x\lfalfa at Arling- 

 ton Farm, Va., 74 to 76.5 percent., average, 75.2 percent.; Tall oat-grass and 

 orchard-grass mixture at Arlington Farm, Va., 71 to 73 per cent., average, 

 72 per cent.; Timothy at New Loudon, Ohio, when in full bloom, average, 

 67.2 per cent. Sorghum at Amarillo, Tex., 70 to 63 per cent., average, 71.2 

 per cent. These percentages are probabh' near the average for each crop, 

 but the fact that McKee found 75.8 per cent, and Farrel an estimated 79.5 

 per cent of moisture in alfalfa indicates that it will be impossible to establish 

 an}" arbitrarj' percentage of moisture in the green plant as a basis for cor- 

 recting forage yields. 



7) The average amount of moisture in field-cured material was as 

 follows : Alfalfa 2.3 per cent.; timothy, 20.3 per cent. ; tall oat-grass and 

 orchard-grass mixture, 29 per cent.; sorghum, 43.2 per cent. The moisture 

 content of field-cured material varies so widely that it cannot be foretold 

 with accuracy. 



The use of the sample method in correcting forage yields would 

 greatly assist in standardizing agronomic data and do much to promote 

 greater accuracy- in field tests. 



The sj'Stem of correcting yield data by the use of air-dried samples is 

 of most value in succulent crops like sorghum and Sudan-grass and is of 

 least value in fine-stemmed plants like millet, which cure quickly and rather 

 completel}-. 



The relation of the moisture content to the stage of development in 

 the plants was studied in alfalfa, timothy, and sorghum. The results were 

 as follows: 



i) Alfalfa at Chico, Cal. : Very young (12 inches high), 78.9 per cent.; 

 one-tenth in bloom, 77.1 per cent.; full bloom, 74.6 per cent.; past full 

 bloom, 73.4 per cent. 



2) Sorghum at Amarillo, Tex.; Very young, 90.6 per cent. ; shooting 

 for heads 87.1 per cent.; beginning to head, 84.8 per cent. ; full bloom, 



80.4 per cent.; seed ripe, 75.3 per cent. 



3) Sorghum at Hays, Kans., varied from 89.2 per cent, when very 

 young to 73.2 per cent when seed was ripe, showing practically the same 

 gradations as at Amarillo, Tex. 



4) Timothy at New London, Ohio : Very young (10 to 12 inches high) 



77.5 per cent.; just heading, 76.6 per cent.; early bloom, 71.4 per cent.; 



