No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. S59 



PEOF. \\'ATSON : I do not believe I can answer that, uerei- hav- 

 ing- tried it: I cannot speak from exp(!rience, and if I were to 

 speak from abstract knowledge, perhaps the doctor's reasons would 

 be as good as mine. 



The PKESIDENT: You would not hesitate to try it? 



PEOF. WATSON: No; I have enough American spirit to try mosc 

 anything that presents a reasonable chance for improvement. I 

 should want the rye not overripe. I have a feeling that there is 

 danger in putting the rye into the silo if the stem is very ripe. 



MR. DETRICH: I was in Delaware last week on Bancroft's farm 

 where this feeding was being tried and it makes a magnificent 

 silage. Rye is as good as clover when it is coming into head and 

 has the same feeding value. When it commences to get woody 

 it makes a poor food. 



DR. CONARD: Do they ordinarily ripen together? 



MR. DETRICH: Yes. 



MAJOR WELLS: I would like to ask Professor Watson if he is 

 familiar with, or can give the value of dried beet fibre? 



PROFESSOR WATSON: We have made no experiments, though 

 I know that experiments have been made. The results of these, 

 however, I do not know\ The results of some experiments in which 

 it has been fed in the fresh condition have not been satisfactory. 



MA.TOR WELLS: There are factories along the border -line of 

 New York State where this dry feed is made, but I have been unable 

 to learn the value of i1k 



The PRESIDENT: As I understand it, it is simply the beet dried, • 

 with sometimes the addition of lime. The pulp dried down with 

 some of the waste molasses has beeri used in European feeding 

 with satisfactory results. Allowing for the water contents it will 

 have about the same feeding value as the fresh pulp, but without 

 the advantage of its succulence. The dried foods in foreign coun- 

 tries has been very satisfactory. • 



MR. HERR: In making silage of rye and clover, would you put it 

 up in the condition it is, or would you have the rye cut? 



PROF. WATSON: I should have it cut by all means. 



MR. COMFORT: Last fall at the Trenton Fair a gentleman told 

 me that he had been making a satisfactory silage of wheat, and 

 clover, and that in his experience* the results were very much more 

 satisfactory with grass for ensilage than rye; for, unless the rye, 

 were cut at exactly the right time it was vroodj. 



