GRASSES OF MAINE. 13 



From this table we infer that herds-grass needs nearly four 

 times the lime of meadow foxtail, and orchard grass double 

 the potash of white clover. 



Nutritive Value. 



That the various species of grass differ very much in nutri- 

 tive value, is shown by observation and analysis. Of twenty- 

 two species analyzed, herds-grass was the most nutritive. 

 Accepting analysis as a reliable guide, the following tabulated 

 statement, calling herds-grass at $10 a ton, exhibits the rela- 

 tive nutritive value of the grasses given : 



Herds Grass, as the standard, at $10 a ton. 



It should not be forgotten that these are combined values 

 of hay cured and uncured, and values per ton and per acre. 

 For while these combined values show meadow foxtail to be 

 but one-third of the value of herds-grass, and clover to be 

 vs^orth one-tenth more, analysis shows the solid nutritive 

 matter of a ton of meadow foxtail to be nine-tenths the feed- 

 ing value of herds-grass, and while a ton of clover is worth 

 more than a ton of herds-grass, an acre of herds-grass is 

 worth much more than an acre of clover, the shrinkage in 

 weight of clover being twenty-four per cent, the most. 



These theoretical values are useful and appro ximatively 

 correct ; yet experiments in feeding show the value of orchard 

 grass, June grass and foul meadow to be much more than 

 those of analysis. An idea clings like "beggar's-lice" to 

 many, that chemistry can tell the per centages oi Jlesh-formers 

 and fat-formers in food — that is, the fat and heat and flesh- 

 producing proportions of hay. A chemist can take a given 

 quantity of hay and tell how much water it contains, and how 

 much carbon, nitrogen, sugai-, starch, albumen, etc., but 



