772 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXIV, No. 9 
DISCUSSION OF THE COMPOSITION OF SUNFLOWERS 
In studying the results on the five stages of maturity, consideration 
must be given to the general trend of results rather than to slight differ¬ 
ences which may occur at the different stages of growth, for the reason 
that it is extremely difficult to secure uniform samples. All percentages 
are based on the original weight of the plant, and were found by analysis 
of (he anhydrous material. 
DRY material 
In comparing the sunflower plants cut at different stages of maturity 
in the 4 to 8 inch spacing and the 36-inch spacing, there is seen very little 
difference in percentage of dry material, the 36-inch spacing showing 
only a slightly higher percentage of dry material over the 4 to 8 
inch spacing. The plants in the 36-inch spacing show a more gradual 
increase in dry material throughout the five stages of maturity than the 
plants in the 4 to 8 inch spacing. The fifth stage of maturity of the 
sunflowers represents the stage of growth that was siloed in the large 
experiment station silos. 
^ PROTEIN 
Protein is consistently higher in all the stages of maturity when the 
plants were spaced 36 inches apart than when they were spaced from 
4 to 8 inches. The first two stages of maturity of the 36-inch spacings 
were considerably higher in protein than the first two stages of the 4 to 8 
inch spacings. In the last three stages, the advantage of high protein 
remains with the 36-inch spacings, but the differences in the percentage 
of protein in the two spacings were not so marked as they were in the 
first two stages. 
CRUDE fiber 
Contrary to the general belief, it is seen that the crude fiber content of 
the sunflowers in both systems of plantings is not greater at the latter 
two stages than at the earlier stages of maturity. In fact, this table 
shows that the crude fiber is slightly less at the latter stage of maturity 
than at the earliest stage analyzed. The 36-inch spacings have less 
crude fiber than the 4 to 8 inch spacings. From the results it appears 
that the percentage of crude fiber does not increase until near the end 
of the growing period of the sunflower, when the seeds are matured 
and the stalk and leaves are dead. At this stage the percentage of moist¬ 
ure has decreased, the stalk has become hard and woody, and many 
leaves have fallen, thus increasing the crude fiber and materially 
lessening the feeding value of the sunflowers. 
ether extract 
No uniformity seems to exist in the relation of the ether extract in the 
two different systems of spacings at the different stages of maturity. 
In general, the 36-inch spaced plants show a larger percentage of ether 
extract than the 4 to 8 inch spaced plants. Sunflowers when planted 
closely together produce much smaller flowers, which do not always 
mature, hence the ether extract is less in amount. Plants spaced far 
apart not only produce larger flowers but in many cases more mature ones 
containing a considerable quantity of seed, which in turn contain a 
large amount of oil, thereby increasing the percentage of ether extract. 
COMPOSITION OF LEAVES, STALKS, AND FLOWERS 
The composition of leaves, stalks, and flowers was also determined. 
The results are given in Table II. 
