ESSAYS 125 



other wild plants, but as this is for other purposes than food it will be dealt with 

 elsewhere. 



2. Fodder. — Valuable as wild plants have been in providing additional food 

 for human beings, yet they have proved still more valuable with regard to 

 supplementary fodder for animals, so much so that it is quite likely that some 

 of the fodder substitutes will be retained after the food substitutes have fallen into 

 disuse. Heather, gorse and bracken cover large areas, and provide an abundant 

 source of supply. Quite early in the war attempts were made to feed heather, 

 and at first it was simply ground roughly before use. In East Friesland a mixture 

 of meal and heather was made that was stated to be 40 per cent, cheaper than 

 any fodder previously used, and to be readily eaten by horses, cattle and pigs. 

 Special heather fodders were prepared by the Germans for different classes of 

 animals. The woody stalks were ground, mixed with molasses and an albuminous 

 foodstuff, and used for fattening pigs. The green stems, on the other hand, when 

 ground and mixed with molasses, were utilised for feeding horses and cattle. 

 " Heather meal," containing 7 per cent, protein and 9 per cent, fat, is said to 

 be equivalent in feeding value to medium quality meadow hay. The Austrians 

 used heather as a substitute for hay for both military and civilian horses. 



Although gorse ([//ex europceus) looks such an unpromising subject for 

 conversion into fodder, it can be utilised when properly treated, and at one time 

 it was much used as forage in this country, sometimes being cultivated for the 

 purpose. Before use gorse needs to be thoroughly crushed to break the spines, 

 rollers or a heavy mallet being suitable implements. Only young growth is fit 

 for feeding, and a constant supply may be maintained by cutting areas of old 

 established woody gorse down to the roots, and utilising the new growth after one 

 or two years' interval. Gorse is much appreciated by stock, especially horses and 

 cows. Old writers state that when it forms part of the diet milch cows give an 

 abundance of milk which produces excellent butter, and cattle fatten as well 

 as though fed on turnips. 1 More recent work indicates that the gorse should 

 be well crushed and freshly prepared, in order to avoid fermentation setting in.' 



Bracken is less usually employed, but it is reported that the young fronds make 

 a good fodder for pigs if they are mixed with potatoes, steamed and pounded, and 

 also that the rhizomes are rich in food material, especially before the end of April, 

 and may be fed to pigs.* 



The rhizomes of couch-grass make a valuable fodder when it is possible to 

 overcome the mechanical difficulties of cleaning. Animals are very fond of it 

 when fresh, and it also dries into a good hay of a nutritious quality, which if 

 properly chopped up is said to be equal in value to good meadow-hay or even 

 clover-hay. 



One analysis of couch-grass gave 4 : 



15*30 per cent, water. 

 7*15 „ „ albuminous compounds. 

 34'8o „ „ soluble feeding constituents (as mucilage, sugar, 

 glucose). 



1 Wilson, ibid. 



3 Fau, E., DIndusirie laitiere, No. 42, pp. 677-9, 1910. Journ. Board Agric. 

 vol. xxv. p. 894. 



3 Weiner, Landw. Ztg. t April 22, 1916. Summarised in Journ. Board Agric. 

 vol. xxiii. p. 499. 



* Hughes, Journ. Bath and Wtst of England and Southern Counties Assoc. 

 vol. viii. pp. 44-52, 1897-8. 



