No. fi. 



DEPARTMENT OF AC lUrUI/PURK. 



321 



CLOVKH AS FOOD AND FERTILIZER. 



\;\ |)K. I. A. I'HAVKU, yt'W (.'antli. P(( . 



We will estimate the value of tiie clovers as food accoi-diiig to 

 our purpose iu feeding. If we feed pi-iraarily foi- milk, muscle, wool 

 or eggs we will place one estimate; if for fat, heat and energy, our 

 estimate will be different, since in the first we seek a narrow ration, 

 or a nutritive ratio of about one to six; in the second, a wider one, 

 or a ratio of one to ten or twelve. 



The place occupied by the clovers as food may be (piickly seen in 

 1he following statement: 



FEEDING STUFFS. 

 Digestible Pounds in a Ton. 



•a 

 >, 



O 



.Q 



o 



3 



Corn stover, . , 

 Timothy hay, 

 Orchard grass. 

 Red clover, . . . 



Alfalfa, 



Wheat bran. 



40 



58 



96 



128 



208 



240 



695 

 937 



903 

 770 

 S59 

 908 



1 to 17.3 

 1 to 16.2 

 1 to 9.4 

 1 to 6. 

 Ito 4.1 

 1 to 3.8 



Here it is seen that as a muscle or milk maker Red clover has 

 more than two and a half times the value of timothy hay, and more 

 than three times the value of corn stover; while for these purposes 

 alfalfa is worth nearly as much pt^r ton as wheat bran. Bed clover 

 would itself constitute a well balanced ration for muscle or milk 

 making, but for the bulk necessary to consume. Alfalfa would con- 

 stitute too narrow a ration and should be fed with corn stover, 

 silage or corn meal. 



While the clovers as protein food are seen to be far richer than 

 timothy hay. why do they not command a higher price in market? 

 Horsemen object to clover hay because it usually contains more 

 dust and hard, indigestible tibre. And this is the fact in the case of 



21—6—1903 



