90 



HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION 



[Jail, 



Diyestibility of the Corn. 

 The first digestion experiment was made in the autumn 

 of 1903, with the Eurelca green corn. Another experiment 

 was made with the same corn, after it had been cured and 

 housed for six months. Unfortunately, a digestion test was 

 not made with the Pride of the North ( whole plant) . During 

 the autumn of 1905, therefore, another sample of this variety 

 was tested for digestibility. It was fully developed and Avell 

 eared. Other experiments were made to test the digesti- 

 bility of the stover of each of the two varieties produced in 

 1904. The several tests were made with the same sheep in 

 each case, the results of which follow : — 



Dry matter, 



Ash 



Protein, 



Fiber 



Nitrogen-free extract, 

 Fat 



Pride of the wnrpkn 



sK (Two Sheep). 



71 

 34 

 03 

 65 



54 

 45 

 48 

 59 

 53 

 67 



Pride of tlie 



Nortli, Stover, 



1904 (Two 



Sheep) . 



54 

 31 

 45 

 60 

 54 

 64 



The green Eureka fodder (whole plant) and the same 

 material dried showed only slight variation in the digesti- 

 bility of total dry matter. The results correspond closely 

 Avith those obtained by other experimenters with large 

 southern varieties at a similar stage of growth. For some 

 reason the fiber in the dry material was more fully digested 

 than in the green substance, and the protein and extract 

 matter less so. The Pride of the North (whole plant) 

 proved to be rather more digestible than the Eureka, due 

 to the fact that it Avas well cared. The digestible material 

 in the Pride of the North, because of its content of matured 

 grain, would naturally yield more net available energy than 

 a like amount of digestible matter derived from the Eureka. 

 The corn stover (all ears removed) IVoni each of the two 

 varieties ai)peared to Ix' c(jually well digested. 



