54 FORAGE CROPS 
start later in spring and will therefore be ready 
for feeding a week or ten days later than that from 
the first seeding, and which has been stimulated 
as outlined. 
Chemical composition of the rye crop 
If the rye crop is used when in the best condi- 
tion for forage, it contains a high content of water, 
or an average of only about 18 per cent of dry 
matter. In this stage of growth, the content of 
nitrogenous matter is relatively large, although it 
is not entirely organized into albuminoids. As the 
crop matures, the dry matter increases and the 
crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract increase rela- 
tively much more rapidly than the nitrogenous 
compounds, and the nutritive ratio is widened. 
The average composition of green rye and yield of 
nutrients are as follows: 
An average 
contains poreiel 
Per cent Lbs. Lbs. 
Waterise 2 ese eae 81.95 Sede as vee Se 
Dry matter .......-.. 18.05 361.0 2527.0 
Ether extract. ....... 0.65 13.0 91.0 
Crude fiber ..... Ge aa Say od 4.29 85.8 600.6 
Protein.  % %: 6's: se eH x 2.13 42.6 298.2 
ASD 5 x wee SR ee SR GE 1.36 37.2 259.4 
Nitrogen-free extract .... 9.61 192.2 1345.4 
A yield of seven tons, therefore, will furnish 
about one and one-fourths tons of dry matter, 
which will contain about 300 pounds of protein, 
