1912.1 



rUBLlC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



233 



with the percentage of iiitrogeii-free extract, or, otherwise ex- 

 })hiiiie(l, the hirger the ])erceiitage of extract or starchy matter 

 present, the higher the digestibility of the corn plant. 



A division and tabulation of the results according to the 

 stage of growth of the varieties gives us the following re- 

 sults : ^ — 



Dry Mailer. 



Average Yield 

 per Acre. 



Per Cent, 

 digested. 



Pounds per 

 Acre digested. 



Mature, 



Medium mature, 

 Immature, 

 Very immature. 



7,686 

 8,344 

 6,394 



7,858 



5,688 

 5,924 

 4,540 

 5,265 



It would appear from the above that the larger growing varie- 

 ties, such as Leaming, Ived Cob, Early Mastodon and White 

 Cap, wall produce rather more dry and digestible matter than 

 do the medium dent or flints as typified in the Longfellow or 

 Rustler, and the former varieties, on the whole, are to be given 

 the preference for silage purposes. It is questionable, however, 

 if they furnish any more final nutritive effect (net available 

 energy) than do the varieties that will thoroughly mature by 

 the middle of September. The jDcrcentage of dry matter di- 

 gested, on the other hand, is in favor of the mature varieties. 

 The extremely late varieties, such as the Eureka and Klondike, 

 are not at all suited to ISTew England conditions. 



Experiments were made with a sample of Pride of the North 

 and a sample of Eureka corn stover during the year of 1904, the 

 two lots proving to be equally digestible. The former variety 

 of stover contained 18.13 per cent, of water wdien sampled 

 (December 27), and the latter contained 59.92 per cent. (Feb- 

 ruary 29). Both samples had been stored in the barn since 

 late autumn. When drawn from the field the former contained 

 37.84 per cent, and the latter 68.92 per cent, of water. The 

 Eureka stover, because of its coarse, immature condition, re- 

 tained the moisture to a much greater extent than did the fully 

 matured corn. 



1 Omitting coefficients for Rustler Dent from the mature varieties. 



