774 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXIV, No 9 
Table II is presented with a view of showing the distribution of the 
food nutrients in the leaves, flowers, and stalfe. The table is largely 
self-explanatory, but a few significant facts will be discussed. The largest 
protein percentage content of the plant is found in the leaves. The 
flowers rank second and the stalks contain the smallest proportion. 
When the different stages of maturity are compared in the two systems 
of spacing, it is seen that the percentage of protein in the leaves is quite 
constant throughout the various stages of growth. The 36-inch spaced 
plants showed a slightly higher percentage of protein in the leaves at the 
final stage of maturity as compared with ^e plants of 4 to 8-inch 
spacing. The percentage of protein found in the stalks and stems is the 
reverse of that found in the leaves when the two spacings are compared, 
while the percentage of protein in the flowers of both systems of plants 
is quite uniform. In the percentage of ether extract the flowers rank 
first, the leaves second, and the stalks the last in amount. The per- ’ 
centage of crude fiber is greatest in the stalks and stems and least in 
the leaves. The flowers contain an amount intermediate between the 
leaves and stalks, and as the flowers mature they show an increase in 
amount of crude fiber. 
Tabi,^ III .—Percentage of leaves, stalks, and flowers {1920) 
Stage of growth. 
Height. 
Average 
weight of 
plants. 
Distance 
apart in 
rows. 
Flower. 
Leaves. 
Stalk 
and 
sterna 
Ft. in. 
Lbs. oz. 
Inches. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Per cent. 
Budding. 
8 % 
10 12 
2‘Z. I 
Do. 
9 8 
3 IS 
4 to 8 
22. 2 
l\j» y 
^ 7 . 8 
ist flower in blossom. 
II 3 
12 0 
36 
7.8 
25. 0 
67.2 
Do. 
10 2 
5 12 
4 to 8 
II. 4 
18. 0 
70.6 
Seeds not quite in the dough stage. 
8 4 
7 7 
36 
13.5 
19-3 
67.3 
Do. 
10 9 
6 14 
4 to 8 
13.6 
19.1 
67.3 
ist flower seeds well into dough stage. 
8 4 
7 2 
36 
26.3 
13.0 
60.7 
Do.. 
10 0 
s iK 
4 to 8 
17. 7 
14. 7 
67.6 
1st flower seeds well beyond the dough stage 
8 6 
14 8 
36 
19.0 
17. 2 
63.8 
Do. 
8 2 
3 13 
4 to 8 
23.8 
14. 0 
62.2 
SUNFnoWKR PI/ANT PERC^NTAG^ OF ni^AVl^S, STALKS, AND FLOWERS 
Table III is inserted to show the percentage of leaves, stalks, and 
flowers. Since the analyses of these different parts showed such widely 
different amounts of food nutrients, this table was introduced to show 
whether the two systems of plantings resulted in a different percentage 
of leaves, stalks, and flowers. A study of Table III indicates that under 
these two systems of plantings no consistent variations were noted in the 
ratios of leaves, stalks, and flowers. The percentage of leaves and stalks 
decreased throughout the growing period, while the percentage of flowers 
increased; this was true in both systems of plantings. The actual per¬ 
centage of flowers, leaves, and stalks remain quite uniform throughout 
the various stages of maturity in sunflower plants which are grown at 
the two extreme distances in the row—^namely, 4 to 8 and 36 inches. 
