Root-Crops for Stock-Feeding. 



87 



crops may be economically raised as a substitute for western grains (but 

 not as a substitute for silage or dry roughage), especially for the more 

 northern parts and higher altitudes of the State; (2) if so, which type 

 and which variety of that type is best suited to New York conditions; 

 (3) the best cultural methods. 



Concentrates vs. Roughage. 



The reason why the production of roots is of special interest in the 

 North Atlantic States is that these states raise a comparatively large 

 amount of roughage and a small amount of concentrates, while the North 

 Central States raise a large amount of cereals or concentrates in propor- 

 tion to hay and forage as shown in the following table. 



The following table shows the ratio of concentrates to roughage in 

 the North Atlantic and North Central States according to the Census 

 of 1900: 



The significance of this table is further emphasized when the super- 

 ior feeding value of concentrates is fully understood. For example, 

 experiments made by Zuntz of Germany, show that when clover hay was 

 fed to horses, 41 pounds were digested out of each hundred pounds of 

 hay fed, while, when oats were fed, 62 pounds were digested, or 50 per 

 cent, more.^ It was found, however, that it required the energy of 24 

 pounds of the 41 pounds of hay digested to supply energy to chew and 

 digest the hay, leaving the net nutritive value at 17 pounds. On the other 

 hand, it required only 12 pounds of the 62 pounds of oats to masticate 

 and digest the oats, leaving 50 pounds of oats available for producing 

 energy or work. In other words, the oats had three times the value of 

 the clover hay for the production of work in horses. The energy used 



^Landw., Jahrb, 27 (1898), No. 3, pp. 440,- pis. 7, fig. i (E. S. R. XI, 72). 



