168 



Feeds and Feeding. 



The table shows that while there was a steady increase in the 

 total albuminoid nitrogen up to the maturity of the plant, the 

 amide nitrogen varied greatly at different periods, being less 

 when the corn was ripe than at earlier dates. 



241. Nitrogen-free extract. — The greatest increase in nutrients 

 between tasseling and maturity was with the nitrogen- free extract, 

 that part of the com plant next in value to protein. 



Increase of nitrogen-free extract in ripening corn — New York 

 (^Geneva) Station. 



Date. 



Stage of maturity. 



Starch. 



July 30. 

 Aug. 9, 

 Aug. 21. 

 Sept. 7. 

 Sept. 23. 



Tasseled. 

 SUked... 

 In milk , 

 Glazed .. 

 Ripe 



Lbs. 



122.2 



491.3 



706.7 



1,735.0 



2,852.9 



C!oncerning these changes Ladd says: "The total starch per 

 acre increased more than twenty-three times between tasseling of 

 corn and harvesting, a period of fifty-five days. Prom the stage 

 of glazing of corn until full ripening the increase in dry matter 

 was 716 pounds, the increase in nitrogen-free extract 587 pounds, 

 while the increase of sugar and starch was 989 pounds, or greater 

 by 273 pounds than the entire gain in crop. That is, much of the 

 nitrogen-free extract, which at period of glazing of corn was in 

 the transitory state, had been translocated and transformed into 

 sugars and starch." 



Jordan, of the Maine Station, ^ studying the same subject, writes: 

 " Owing to the relatively large production of sugars and starch 

 in the late stages of growth, a pound of the dry substance of the 

 mature well-eared com plant possesses a higher nutritive value 

 than at any earlier stage of growth." Compare with develop- 

 ment of the timothy plant. Article 259. 



242. Importance of maturity. — These tables teach the farmer 

 that he should delay harvesting the corn crop until the plants 

 have been allowed to accomplish their full work of gatLering, 

 elaborating and locating nutritive matter. To harvest a com 

 crop for forage or silage while the grain is in the milV stage is to 



» Kept. 1895. 



