The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-07-24

every case as the plant is allowed ;te
stand, and apparently a. decrease of the
albaminoids.s1@.Yet.t these figures, may
lead us to- an erroneous conclusion, be:
cause they give US but chemical sub.
stances,.and donht give us any iindica.
ton Ofthe digestipi lity of these substan,
ces.~ Indeed, we realize these differences
when we compare thezestimates of, value
from the practical point of view; that is
trem information gained from, feeding to-
animals, If the value ofhay be taken rs
1OO,then Meyer calculates 100 lbs. Of rye
straw the equivalent at 100 lbs. of hay
while Thaer considers 666 lbs. the proper
equivalent, aPetri 500 lbs, Block 200 lbs,
Pabst $50 1bs.,S and Schweitzer 267. lbs
Wethus, in the face of these opinions,
maysappreciatesth the difficulties which be-
set the subject, brought about through
the different degrees of digestibility and
the methods Of feeding,and can feel de-
gree otcharity towards those who differ
trem us. If we estimate corn-stOver as
worth six-tenths the price of hay per ton
for feeding purposes to ~milch COWS, it
does not follow by any meanes that we
are wrong when We agree with another
farmer " no assures us that it takes four
tons of his corn fodder to equal ton OF
common hay: No, welook at his stuff,
agree with him, honestly, but pity the
state Of mind which will not allow Of his
agreeing with us that or ce:n-fodder is
worth to us what we state.
1--we consider then how the:sta-ch, the
sugar, the aibuminous material, the
woody fbres, &c, get into the grass, we
shall find that the bulk Of them comes
from the air, through the agency Of the
leaf, and the chlorophyl Of the leaf at
that. The sap, mounting up the plant
from cell to cell, is journeying toward
the leaf and green surfaces, where the
carbonic acid is under process Of being
extracted from the atmosphere, and is be-
ing compounded into vital tissues. This
primal material, the 'proximate prin-
ciples OF the plant, is transferred in a
greater or less degree,I to other portions
of the plaat. Thus the starchy forma7
tons, probably, and one at least Of the al
buminoids. certainly, are transferred from
the leaves through the stem, Of :he oat.
plant to the ear. We may, therefore,
through reconsideration of the physiology
of the plant, feel assured OF the following
facts In the presence of light, car
bonic acid is being taken up by the leaf
of the plant3 and through the agency of
the chlorophyE grains is being fixed in
form-of- proximate principles ofthe
plant: 20. There. is a transference from
the leaf Of our grasses through the stem to
the seed. go - -. 80 =!
It is therefore indicated By, theory,
that asa, fodder-crop, the time to cut
grass IS when there is the greatest activity
of leaf surface, and while the transference
of the proximate principles are in full ac-
tivitY; and as we must know through our
comm On observation this time is bounded
by the cessation OF the bloom for with
the bloom we notice aicheck in height
growth, and a change in the habits of
growth: Of the plant; the difference be-
tween: an activity devoted to the ex-
pansion of. growth and that devoted to
the iipening of seed. 80 ~. ~ -, t.5@. >.