FARM EXPERIMENTS. 



299 



Bess. 



Pet. 



First.. . 

 Second . 

 Third . . 

 Fourth , 

 Fifth.. . 

 Sixth . . 



Early Hay 

 Late Hay.. 

 Early Hay 

 Late Hay.. 

 Early Hay 

 Late Hay.. 



862-. 



865. 



862 



910. 



912 



905 



It was louncl that 270 lbs. of mixed grain and 720 lbs. of earl}' 

 haj' produced 990.12 lbs. of milk, which jielded 52.98 lbs. of butter, 

 and the milk contained 37.36 lbs. of fat. The same quantity and 

 quality- of grain as above, fed in connection with 720 lbs. of late hay, 

 gave 921.15 lbs. of milk, which yielded 52.85 lbs. butter, the milk 

 containing 35.3 lbs. fat. 



In this test the comparative value of the earh' and late hay for milk 

 production was as 100 to 93.34 ; or, the daily feeding ration of 20 

 lbs. of early hay was equal to 21.42 lbs. of late hay for the same 

 purpose. There was practically no difference in the amounts of 

 butter obtained from each fodder. It was feared that the appetites 

 of the animals might not be as good for the late as for the early 

 hay, but such was not the case to an}'^ serious extent. In onlv two 

 of the six changes from early to late was there any dislike exhibited, 

 and this was overcome during the first day of feeding upon it. 



In one of the six changes from late to early there was nearly the 

 same dislike manifested. This was somewhat surprising, as the early 

 hay was green and fresh, while the late was evidently nearly ripe. 



It must, however, be borne in mind that the weather during the 

 last haying season was unusually favorable to late standing grass, 

 no rain of consequence occurring after July 10th. 



These results show much less difference in the nutritive value and 

 palatability of hay harvested when in full bloom, and that harvested 

 at a much later period, than has generally been. supposed to exist. 

 20 



