T 5 2 THE BOOK OF CORN 



ter. In 1890 the maximum hight was attained the 

 third week in July, and the maximum weight the 

 second week in September. During September there 

 was a gain of fifteen per cent in total dry matter. In 

 1 89 1 the greatest hight was reached August I, at 

 which time forty-six per cent of the total dry matter 

 produced had been developed. By the second week of 

 September the maximum weight was attained, or fifty- 

 four per cent during the last weeks of growth. 



Do Not Harvest Too Early — These tests go to 

 show the great loss, other things being equal, in har- 

 vesting corn too early. Then there is the additional 

 danger of the immature plant not curing properly 

 unless the weather is very dry. The juices contain 

 such a small percentage of starches and sugars that 

 undesirable ferments are likely to gain a foothold, 

 causing a low quality of forage. When the starches 

 and sugars are more fully developed later in the season 

 a much sweeter and more wholesome product is se- 

 cured under favorable conditions. The late Professor 

 G. E. Morrow, in summarizing this work, stated that 

 observations show that the percentage of dry matter 

 in the corn plant, both stalk and ear, increases up to 

 the time of maturing, but it has not been shown that 

 the digestibility decreases as maturity approaches. It 

 seems clear that considerable loss in total food value 

 of the corn crop is often sustained by cutting it at too 

 early a stage, whether designed for silage or cut for 

 dry fodder. The percentage of water in the young 

 corn plant is surprisingly large, while the quantity of 

 dry matter and food value is much less than that found 

 as the plant approaches maturity. On the other hand, 

 it frequently happens that considerable loss is sus- 

 tained by allowing the crop to remain in the field until 

 fully matured. This loss comes from storms, destruc- 

 tion from animals, birds, etc. 



