34 The Feeding of Animals 



of different species of plants or parts of plants is well 

 illustrated by the following figures : 



Water in green i^lants 



Per cent 



Pasture grass (mixed) 80 



Timothy grass 61.6 



Oats (fodder) 62.2 



Rye (fodder) 76.6 



Sorghum (fodder) 79.4 



Fodder corn, dent, kernels glazed 73,4 



Fodder corn, flint, kernels glazed 77.1 



Red clover 70.8 



Alfalfa 71.8 



Horse bean •• 84.2 



Potatoes (tubers) 78.9 



Beets (mangels) 90.9 



Turnips 90.5 



Immature plants contain more water than older or 

 mature ones. Young pasture grass is more largely 

 water than the same plants would be after the seed is 

 formed. This fact is consistent with the very rapid 

 transference of building material during the active 

 stages of growth. Analyses of samples of timothy 

 grass cut at the Maine State College in 1879, and at 

 the Pennsylvania State College in 1881 show the 

 marked influence of the stage of growth upon the 

 water content of the living plant: 



Maine State College 

 Timothy Percentage of water 



Nearly headed out 78.7 



In full blossom 71.9 



Out of blossom 65.2 



Nearly ripe 63.3 



