No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 677 



better afford to waste a portion of his carbohydrates, than to pur- 

 chase protein foods that will enable an economical use of them. The 

 conditions of the feed markets at the present time show, however, 

 that the average cost per ton of the protein feeds, or those which 

 exceed in content of protein, any of those likely to be produced upon 

 the farm, is but little greater than the average cost per ton of the 

 feeds of the carbohydrate group. That is, the average cost of 31 

 different protein feeds, ranging from 15 to 44.5 per cent, protein, ac- 

 cording to the records obtained at our Station last year, was |24.28 

 per ton. The average cost of 18 carbohydrate feeds, ranging from 

 8 to 13.5 per cent, of protein, and including all of the oat feeds, was 

 123.62 per ton. 



In view of these facts, it is not likely to be an economical prac- 

 tice to waste carbohydrates, as the excess of the expensive carbo- 

 hydrates could be profitably exchanged for the protein that is likely 

 to be needed. The situation in relation to the supply of protein, 

 and the cost, makes it a very pertinent question as to whether the 

 farmer may not avoid in a measure the pitfalls likely to be encoun- 

 tered in the purchase of concentrated feeds by a larger growth and 

 use of those crops which contain this important element protein 

 in larger amounts than is contained in the average products now 

 grown. The one objection that is offered to this line of procedure, 

 is that in the making of rations it is necessary, in order that the 

 animals may be properly nourished, that there shall be associated 

 with the ordinary roughage products, more or less of the concen- 

 trated forms of nutriment, and that it is not possible to completely 

 and satisfactorily nourish an animal under present artificial condi- 

 tions. 



There may be, and doubtless is, a basis of truth in this view. 

 Nevertheless, it does not follow that though a farmer shall increase 

 his acreage of protein crops, that he shall not feed more or less of 

 the concentrates, and it does follow, I think, from the data we have 

 at hand, that by increasing his protein crops, he decreases the neces- 

 sity for purchase in just that proportion. 



Experiments recently carried out in this country, and to which I 

 shall refer more in detail later, clearly show that a number of crops 

 may be grown which may for all practical purposes be substituted 

 for the concentrated feeds, at a very great saving in the cost of nu- 

 trients, and a consequent reduction in the cost of a pound of beef, 

 mutton or milk. 



The first question which naturally arises, is what kind of crops 

 shall be grown, or what kind can be grown, that will enable the 

 farmer to accomplish this most important result. Fortunately, 

 recent studies have shown the adaptability to our conditions of a 

 considerable number of crops and until recently, not largely grown, 

 which may be used for this purpose. Crops, moreover, that are 

 richer in the elements of protein, so important in any ration, and 

 so necessary for the proper utilization of our other crops. These 

 crops belong to the clover or legume family, and possess a further 

 advantage, in that their growth and removal from the soil does not 

 materially reduce the content of soil nitrogen, but rather adds to the 

 crop-producing capacity of soil by improvin;.-, jjhysical character, and 

 increasing their store of nitrogen, 



37—7—1904 



