292 MAKING HAY. 



body, and is, undoubtedly, somewhat more completely utilized 

 than is the case with starch. But the final form and office is 

 the same with both starch and the sugars or foods. 



" It is, therefore, difficult to see how a change from glucose to 

 saccharose in sorghum can effect the intrinsic value. But why 

 compare sorghum and Timothy anyway? One is a sugar-bear- 

 ing plant, the other is not. 



" Because sorghum, a sugar-producing plant, is worth most 

 for making sugar when the seeds are ripe, why should it follow 

 that Timothy, a plant containing in advanced age a very small 

 quantity of sugar, is most nutritious when the seeds are formed? 

 We cannot determine the effect that age has upon the nutritive 

 value of any known fodder plant by the increase or decrease of 

 a single compound. Plant substance is complex, is made up of 

 many compounds, and we must measure nutritive value by the 

 total quantity of digestible nutrients, taking into account also 

 their form and relative quantities. 



"Our knowledge of changes occurring in Timothy grass 

 through age is, briefly, as follows : 



"(1.) The nitrogenous compounds decrease and the carbohy- 

 drates (starch, sugar, etc.) increase in relative amounts. 



"(2.) There is no conclusive evidence that the nitrogenous 

 compounds assume more valuable forms in the later stages of 

 growth than when the plant is in bloom. 



"(3.) With the carbohydrates there is a change of material 

 into the form of crude fibre. Crude fibre is in part digestible, 

 and to that extent is as valuable as digestible starch. 



"(4.) The nutrients in young grass are more largely digesti- 

 ble than in old. 



" (5.) This decrease in percentage of digestibility may be in 

 part or even wholly compensated by the greater acreage produc- 

 tion in the case of mature grass. Whether this is so, undoubt- 

 edly, depends largely upon the locality and season. 



