268 AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



376. Pasture Grass. In the study of the composition 

 of plants at different stages of growth, it was stated that 

 the nitrogenous compounds are produced more rapidly 

 than the non-nitrogenous (Section 351). The dry matter 

 of pasture grass is more nitrogenous in character than 

 that of the matured crop. The dry matter of all kinds 

 of pasture grass is rich in crude protein ; the various 

 nutrients, however, range between wide limits, accord- 

 ing to the species of grass, and the conditions affecting 

 its growth. When a piece of land is grazed, a smaller 

 amount of total nutrients is secured than if a forage 

 crop were harvested and fed. In pasturing, the results 

 are similar to a series of early cuttings, before bloom, 

 rather than one later cutting as in harvesting a crop. 



377. Corn Fodder and Stover. By corn fodder is 

 meant the entire corn plant with or without ears, accord- 

 ing to the conditions under which it has been grown, 

 while corn stover is the plant after the grain has been re- 

 moved. Corn fodder is one of the most valuable, pala- 

 table, and largest yielding crops that can be procured. 

 When sown so that no ears, or very small ones, are de- 

 veloped, the leaves and stalks contain all of the nutrients 

 which would otherwise be stored up in the seed. When 

 grown under favorable conditions, corn fodder contains 

 about the same per cent, of crude protein and is equal in 

 value to the best quality of timothy hay. When field- 

 cured, it contains from 15 to 30 per cent, of water, from 

 12 to 25 per cent, of crude fiber, and from 2.5 to 4 per 

 cent, of ash. In the study of the composition of the corn 

 plant (Chapter XXVI), the content of crude protein and 



