4 6 



AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Assuming that common grasses yield two tons of hay to the 

 acre, and clover three tons of hay, the amounts of food materials 

 and fertilizing materials are approximately as follows : 



Hay from 



>> 



J) &4 



CO QJ 



Food Materials in Crop 

 Per acre. 



39 

 O 



C OS 



33 >> 



0.3 



33 



Fertilizing Materials 

 in Crop Per Acre. 



0) 



c 



p- S3 



X) 

 S3 



o 



Redtop 



Timothy . . . 

 Reel clover. 



Tons. 

 1 

 2 

 3 



Pounds. 

 20.4 

 18.0 

 66.0 



It will be seen that on the above basis, which is believed to be 

 a fair one, the clover crop furnishes from two to four times as 

 much protein per acre as common grasses, together with much 

 more fat and rather more carbohydrates. It also contains nearly 

 three times as much nitrogen and about twice as much potash. 

 It should be remembered, too, that clover draws a large propor- 

 tion of this nitrogen from the air instead of depleting the soil, 

 and that the long roots enable it to feed upon the potash deep 

 down in the soil beyond the reach of surface feeding plants. 



CUTTING HAY. 



One short plea to the farmers of Maine for early cutting of 

 hay. Practice, science, observation and good sense all combine 

 their testimony in favor of the superiority of early cut hay to late 

 cut hay, in regard to its composition and digestibility. All scientists 

 tell us that young grasses while rapidly growing contain more 

 protein — the most costly food element to buy — and less fibre than 

 mature ones. The stock in our June pastures confirm these 

 claims. 



We are also advisedly admonished that grass, in ripening, 

 transmits a large part of its protein and starch from the leaves 

 and stems to the seeds, which are seldom, if ever, digested. 

 Generally they are lost in curing, together with the over-ripened 

 leaves. In the language of the scientist, "The hay made from 

 fully ripe grass is essentially straw." 



