

"AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 61 



rule of action often requires a reversal of former conclusions. 

 This experience may be unfortunate but is not blameworthy.- 



(1) The average weight per acre of the green crops for five 

 years were : Southern corn, 34,761 pounds ; Maine field corn, 22,269 

 pounds; difference, 11,492 pounds, or nearly five and three-fourths 

 tons. 



(2) The average dry matter per hupdred pounds was nearty one- 

 third more in the Maine field corn, the relation being : Southern corn 

 14.50 pounds ; Maine field corn 18.75 pounds, or as 100 :129. 



(3) The Maine field corn proved to be more digestible, the rela- 

 tion for dry matter being: Southern corn, 65; Maine corn, 73, or 

 as 100:112. 



(4) The average pounds of digestible dry matter per hundred 

 pounds of green corn have been: Southern corn 7.25 pounds; 

 Maine field corn 13.69 pounds, or as 100:189. 



(5) The average yield of dry matter per acre has been : South- 

 ern corn 5,036 pounds, — extremes, 7,064 pounds and 2,415 pounds. 



(6) The average yield Of digestible dry matter has been : South- 

 ern corn 3,251 pounds, — extremes 3,923 pounds and 2,102 pounds ; 

 Maine field corn 3,076 pounds, — extremes 4,945 pounds and 1,715 

 pounds. 



(7) The yield of digestible dry matter has averaged 175 pounds 

 more per acre with the Southern com. To offset this it has been 

 necessar}* to handle annually five and three- fourths tons more 

 weight. 



(8) The largest as well as the smallest yield of digestible dry 

 matter in a single year has been furnished by the Maine field corn. 



THE INFLUENCE OF MATURITY UPON THE VALUE OF THE CORN CROP 

 FOR FODDER OR SILAGE PURPOSES. 



There have existed, without doubt, some very erroneous notions 

 in regard to the relative value of the corn crop at different stages of 

 growth. Corn that is thickly planted and cut when quite immature 

 is so easily masticated and is eaten with such evident relish, that 

 such material has b} T many been regarded more highly than the facts 

 warrant. Correct views prevail to a griater extent than formerly, 

 partly because several careful experiments, the results of which 

 have been widely published, show that the plant continues to 

 increase its store of dry substance until full maturity and that this 

 growth is very rapid during the last stages of development. 



