102 TRANSACTIONS OF STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and of a shining black color, long in shape, while alfalfa is yellow. 

 Seed often contains a small, round, shining black seed which is smaller 

 than alfalfa. This is a celosia or tumble-weed seed, and is harmless, 

 except as its weight adds to the cost of the seed. The continuous mow- 

 ing of alfalfa kills out this and all annual weeds and most perennials — 

 indeed, Johnson grass is the worst thing to be feared. Pastures should 

 be mowed at least twice a year to kill out weeds left by stock. 



Value of Alfalfa Hay. — Alfalfa hay is worth as much, weight for 

 weight, as any other hay, and is eaten by all farm stock. Horses when 

 first given this hay may take some little time to acquire a taste for it, 

 but will not refuse it long. It is not in itself a complete ration, how- 

 ever. It is rich in protein — that is, in the albuminoids which, when fed 

 to stock, produce blood, muscle, tendon, and bone. It is poor in fat, 

 sugar, starch, etc., or technically, carbohydrates. To complete the 

 ration when alfalfa is fed, something must be fed that contains large 

 amounts of the latter substances to balance the protein of the alfalfa, or 

 the excess of the latter will not be digested. Such feeds as wheat hay 

 or straw, sorghum, cornstalks, and root crops are all rich in carbohy- 

 drates and poor in protein, and together with alfalfa in right proportion 

 make a perfect ration. Alfalfa hay is especially valuable to young and 

 growing horses, cattle, and sheep, as they require a food furnishing large 

 quantities of flesh-forming material. For work horses feed a small 

 grain ration — barley or, better, Egyptian corn. 



Bloating. — Where cattle or sheep are pastured on growing alfalfa, 

 care is necessary to prevent hoven or bloat during cold, rainy days 

 of spring and fall. The chance of loss from this cause is much 

 lessened if a stack of straw or cornstalks is kept where the stock 

 have access to it, also salt where it can always be reached by the stock 

 is beneficial. Horses and hogs are not affected by bloat, but horses will 

 thrive much better on the pasture with straw than without on much 

 better pasture. Soiling — that is, cutting and feeding the cut alfalfa 

 green — is practiced in older countries, but has not been practiced here 

 to any extent. 



For Hogs. — Alfalfa is the principal summer forage for hogs, which are 

 extensively grown to utilize the waste on the raisin vineyards in the 

 fall after the raisins are harvested. To get best results, the field should 

 be divided into lots of such size that the band of hogs kept will eat off 

 a lot in a week's time or less, when another lot is thrown open to them 

 and the first lot closed and allowed to grow again. It should be fed off 

 before it commences to bloom, as it then contains the most succulent 

 food. This method gives each lot in turn a rest and a chance to grow 

 again and will provide more forage of a better quality than where a 

 field is continuously pastured during the summer. 



