No. 4.] FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS. 145 



In talking of dry matter, not only is the dry matter more 

 plentiful ])y the acre at the later stage of growth, but it is 

 worth more l)y the ton. 



One thino; more in this connection. This is taken from 

 an average of five trials, and part of my information was 

 taken from the experiment station in New York. This 

 is in the line of the last chart I showed you, showing the 

 progressive increase of nutrients per acre. 



Chart No. 6. 



Comparison of Nutrients per Acre, at Different Stages of Groioth^ 



of Indian Corn. 



Tasselled to bloom, July 24 to August 5 : — 



Dry matter (inches) , 10 



Albuminoids (inches), 10 



Fat (inches), 10 



Carbohydrates (inches), 10 



Glazed to ripe, September 3 to September 23 : -^ 



Dry matter (inches) , 30.5 



Albuminoids (inches), 21.4 



Fat (inches), 33.0 



Carboliydrates (inches), 30. 5 



If the quantity of dry matter per acre at the stage of 

 growth known as " tasselled" be represented b}' 10, then the 

 quantity of dry matter in the same crop when it reaches the 

 stage " glazed to ripe" will be represented by 30.5. The 

 increase of the albuminoids is in the proportion of 10 to 21.4, 

 of the fat in the proportion of 10 to 33, and of the carbo- 

 hj'drates in the proportion of 10 to 36.5. 



As large a percentage of this is digested as of that cut 

 at the earlier stage. And there is this decided gain, that 

 when any plant in a rather immature state is put into the 

 silo it is lialjle to become very sour, and pass into decompo- 

 sition. If the same plant is allowed to come nearer to ripe- 

 ness, it is much more robust, and comes out of the silo in a 

 wholesome condition for cattle. 



Now, while corn is an excellent food, it is not in itself a 

 complete food. It does not contain enough albuminoids in 

 proportion to the carbohydrates it does contain, therefore we 

 must find other crops to put with the corn to get the best 

 result. Many other crops get nitrogen or albuminoids from 



