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AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



Thompson found the amount of solid matter in this grass to 

 vary from 18 to upwards of 30 per cent, according to the early 

 or late period of growth. When grass first springs above the 

 -surface of the earth the principal constituent of its early blades 

 is water, the amount of solid matter being comparatively trifling; 

 as it grows, the deposition of a more indurated form of carbon 

 gradually becomes more considerable; the sugar and soluble 

 matter at first increasing, then gradually diminishing, to give 

 way to the deposition of woody substance. 



Table of Rye grass before and after ripening. 



These are important facts ; for if the sugar be an important 

 element of the food of animals, then the farmer should cut 

 grass for the purpose of hay-making at that period when the 

 largest amount of matter soluble in water is contained in it. 

 This is at an earlier period of its growth than when it has shot 

 into seed, for it is then that woody matter predominates a sub 

 stance totally insoluble in water, and therefore less calculated to 

 serve as food to animals than substances capable of assuming a 

 soluble condition. This is the first point for consideration in 

 making hay, since it ought to be the object of the farmer to 

 preserve the hay for winter use in the condition most resem 

 bling the grass in its highest state of perfection. 



100 parts of the stem and seeds of Rye grass when dried as 

 hay, gave : 



