BAKLEY. 



87 



The connection between maturation and composition is Matura- 

 further illustrated by the results in Table 28, which shows '™ **? 

 the general characters of the produce, as indicated by the tion. 

 weight per bushel of the grain, of four very different seasons 

 so far as the maturation of the grain was concerned. The 

 table further shows — the percentage of ash (pure) in the dry 

 matter of the grain, and of the straw ; the percentage of potash 

 and of phosphoric acid in the ash of the grain, and of the 

 straw; also the potash and phosphoric acid per 1000 dry 

 matter of grain, and of straw — the results being the means 

 of six differently manured plots in each season. Lastly, the 

 seasons are arranged in the order of highest weight per bushel 

 of grain, this being, upon the whole, the best practical measure 

 of high quality, or at least of high maturation. 



TABLE 28. 



Harvests. 



Weight per 



bushel of 



grain. 



lb. 



Per cent 



ash (pure) 



in dry 



matter. 



Per cent in ash (pure). 



Potash. 



Phosphoric 

 acid. 



Per 1000 dry matter. 



Potash Phosphoric 

 acid. 



GRAIN. 



STRAW. 



It will be seen that the average weight per bushel of the Season and 

 grain was in 1871, 55.9 lb.; in 1863, 55.3 lb.; in 1852, w ?££ of 

 51.7 lb. ; and in 1856 only 47.4 lb. ; or about 8 lb. less than gm 

 in the two seasons of highest weight. There is here, then, 

 very great variation in the character of these four seasons, 

 and in the degree of maturation of the grain accordingly. 



No determinations of nitrogen are available; but it may Nitrogen 

 be stated that the percentage of nitrogen is almost uniformly a ^ q ™ n hty 

 lower in the seasons of high maturation. Turning to the 

 particulars of composition given in the table for each of the 

 four seasons, it is seen that, in both grain and straw, there is 

 a higher percentage of ash in the dry substance the higher 

 the quality of the grain. There are also higher percentages 



