re 
LIBERATION OF OrGANIC MaTrer By Roots oF GROWING PuLANtTs' 11 
all plots. In the stalks and leaves, the nitrogen was found in greatest 
amounts in two cases when the plants were just out of bloom and the 
seed was formed, and in the third case when no stalks were in bloom but 
the plants were beginning to head. In the hay the greatest weight of 
nitrogen was found when the seed was all in dough. In the stubble and 
bulbs the greatest amount of nitrogen was present when the seed was 
fully ripe. 
The comparative studies with wheat represent two areas from the 
same field. The stages of development were: (1) plants green and in 
bloom; (2) seed formed and in milk; (3) seed in dough; (4) seed fully ripe.- 
The plant parts of the samples were divided into heads, stalks and leaves, 
plants above ground, and roots and stubble. The figures for nitrogen 
found in the heads showed a steady increase in this nutrient thruout all 
the stages. With stalks and leaves there was a constant loss of nitrogen 
after the first stage as the plant approached maturity. In the plants 
above ground there was an increase of nitrogen to the seed-in-dough stage 
and a considerable loss in the fully-ripe stage. Roots and stubble con- 
tained their greatest weight of nitrogen at the seed-in-milk stage. If the 
‘total plant is considered, the nitrogen reached its greatest amount when 
the seed was in the dough stage. 
_ The influence of advancing maturity on the composition of timothy 
‘was reported by Waters (1915). Results were obtained for five years of 
investigation, but the results are complete for only three of these years. 
Uniform areas were harvested at five different stages of growth: (1) when 
the plants were in full head; (2) when the plants were in bloom; (3) when 
the seed had formed; (4) when the seed was in dough; (5) when the seed 
was ripe but not shattered. The greatest weight of nitrogen was found 
in three of the trials when the plants were in full bloom, and in the other 
two trials when the seed had formed. The fluctuation in loss of nitrogen 
between the stages when it was at the maximum and when it was fully 
ripe ranged from 12 to 38 per cent. 
Schulze (1904) cut 100 plants of rye and collected the roots for examina- 
tion. The cuttings were made forty days after drilling, which was on 
September 20. On April 22 a second cutting was made. The plants at 
\this stage were very green. On May 20 a third cutting was made. The 
plants now were in the boot stage. The fourth cutting was made on 
June 16 and the plants were just thru blooming. The weight of nitrogen 
