274 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 171. 



Composition of Dry Matter. 



Progressive Changes in Composition of the Asparagus Plant. 

 The following table has been arranged in order to compare the compo- 

 sition of the successive stages of growth which have been studied: — 



Ash, . 

 Protein, 

 Fiber, . 

 Fat, . 

 Total sugars, 

 Reducing sugars. 

 Pentosans, . 

 Lignin by difference, 

 Total nitrogen, . 

 Protein nitrogen, 

 Amino nitrogen, . 



12.44 

 19.77 

 1.77 



.52 



10.96 

 16.65 



1.99 

 1.05 



8.93 

 12.75 

 23.66 



1.63 



.20 



11.66 



18.17 



2.04 

 1.30 

 .74 



30.77 

 18.20 

 3.07 



15.22 

 11.17 

 13.41 

 10.64 



4.92 

 3.07 

 1.85 



7.34 

 13.56 



3.48 



10.92 

 6.79 

 14.85 

 14.06 



2.17 

 1.86 

 .31 



.83 



7.90 

 5.70 

 14.92 

 19.16 



1.26 

 .12 



