REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



147 



following investigation was carried out, the samples being furnished from the Experi- 

 mental Farm at Indian Head, N.W.T., by Mr. Mackay, the superintendent : — 



The samples consisted of (1) hay cut when the seed was formed (July, 13, 1896) and 

 considered in prime condition, (2) hay cut when seed was fully ripe (July, 24, 1896) and 

 containing seed, (3) ripened, thrashed hay (practically straw), and (4) chaff from the 

 thrasher, containing some seed. Samples 1, 2 and 3 were of good colour, not having 

 been bleached in the curing, a change usually accompanied by a lessening of food value, 

 the fibre becoming hard and indigestible. The appearance of all was that of nutritious, 

 palatable hay. 



Analyses of Hay and Chaff of Awnless Brome Grass. 



a 



s 



Stage of growth, &c. 



Seed just formed ; in prime condition for 



hay ; cut 13th July, 1896 



Seed ripe ; unthrashed ; cut 24th July, 1896 



Ripened ; thrashed ; hay (straw) 



ChaflF from thrasher, containing some seed 



Hat. 



« 





3 





6-47 

 8-28 

 7-62 

 8-63 



7-87 

 7-39 

 7 -23 

 9 01 



7-54 



5-76 



605 



10-70 



ft,- 



414 

 315 

 3-80 

 4-86 



'^ a . 

 S 2 g 

 o 



42-56 

 43-16 

 38-75 

 42-88 





31-42 

 32-26 

 36-55 

 23-92 



Calculated to Watbb- 

 FREK Substance. 



8-42 

 805 

 783 

 9-86 





> p 



PL| 



810 



6-28 



6-35 



11-21 



4-42 

 3-43 

 4-11 

 5-32 



S 2 2 



«« fl £ 



45-46 

 47-07 

 42-15 

 47-42 



Xi 



33-60 



35-17 

 39-56 

 26 19 



In the first place we notice that of the three samples of hay. No. 1 (that cut when 

 " the seed was just formed ") is the most nutritious, since it contains most protein and 

 fat and the least fibre. This result is in accord with those already obtained from a 

 study of other grasses (see bulletin No. 19, page 22) and emphasizes the importance of 

 cutting for hay as soon as the seed has formed. A loss of valuable and digestible food 

 material always occurs when a grass is allowed to fully mature before it is cut for hay. 



Thus, on. comparing the analysis of Nos. 1 and 2, it is evident that a certain 

 deterioration in food value has taken place by the ripening of the grass. This depre- 

 ciation in nutritive qualities, made apparent by contrasting the figures in the columns 

 representing the composition of the water-free substances — is not, howevei', in this 

 instance a very serious one ; at aU events, it is not so great as to prevent the farmers 

 from allowing the grass to mature when a supply of seed is wished. 



Though the ripened, thrashed hay (No. 3) contains more fibre and somewhat less 

 starch, &c. (carbohydrates) than the unthrashed hay (No. 2) our data do not show that 

 there is any great difference in feeding value between these samples. Indeed it would 

 appear that in certain respects the former is the better of the two. This is contrary to 

 our expectation and is perhaps caused by the loss in thrashing of certain of the least 

 valuable portions of the plant. 



Sample No. 4, labelled " chaff from'the thrasher," evidently contained a consider- 

 able amount of seed. Its presence in the chaff is most probably unavoidable, and may 

 be accounted for by the extreme lightness of the seed. Our analysis shows this sample 

 to be the richest in protein and fat and lowest in fibre of all those examined. This ig 

 undoubtedly good fodder and one that could be used to advantage as part of the daily 

 ration. 



8T0RKSBILL OR ALFILARIA ( Erodium cicutarium.) 



At the request of Mr. J. R. Anderson, Deputy Minister of Agriculture for British 



Columbia, a chemical examination of the feeding qualities of this forage plant has been 



made. Concerning its occurrence in that province, Mr. Anderson writes as follows : — 



" Erodium cicutarium is common in the vicinity of Victoria and on the Gulf Islands, 



8a— 10| 



