1889.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 



23 



I wanted to know what it is composed of; accordingly I 

 selected a stalk of ensilage corn, which, when cut, weighed 

 exactly five pounds. What was this stalk made up of ? 

 This question was answered by chemical analysis, in the 

 laboratory. It was found that eighty-two per cent of the 

 stalk was water ; the starch, sugar, oil, etc., were also deter- 

 mined, and as a result the following table was prepared, 

 showing just what amount of each constituent was contained 

 in this one stalk : — 



A stalk of corn weighing five pounds : analysis. 



80.00 oz. 



But figures are hard to remember, and I have in these bottles 

 the exact amount of each constituent, except the water. If I 

 had here a two-quart fruit jar full of water, it would represent 

 the exact quantity that was found ; so, if you will imagine 

 such a jar, containing two quarts of water, you will have a 

 representation of the entire stalk. This bottle contains the 

 exact quantity of starch that the above-mentioned stalk 

 contained ; in this bottle we have the sugar ; in this, the oil ; 

 and in this, the albuminoids, or the portion that goes to make 

 muscle, and the caseine or curd of milk when the corn is fed 

 to cows. This last is the most valuable constituent of the 

 food. In this bottle I have the amount of ash. 



Question. What was the condition of this corn ; was it 

 mature or immature ? 



Answer. The stalk was the " Burrill & Whitman " corn, 

 and had one ear, the kernels of which were "blistered." 

 Eemember that these Ijottles show us what the stalk was made 

 up of, and the exact amount, so that you have before you here 

 a stalk of corn taken apart, so to speak ; the various parts put 

 in separate packages, just as we might take a mowing-machine 

 apart, putting the cast-iron in one place, the steel in another, 

 the bolts, nuts, screws, etc., each in a box by itself. 



