ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 365 



hay is not cut at least 2 weeks earlier than the ripening of the grain there 

 occurs an actual loss of hay. There is a steady decrease in the percentage of 

 mineral matter and a corresponding increase in that of organic matter with the 

 ripening of the crop. The percentage of protein shows a rise during the 

 first 3 weeks and a steady decline thereafter, that of fat remains practically sta- 

 tionary throughout the whole period, and that of carbohydrates steadily increases 

 throughout the 6 weeks, with a corresiwnding decrease in the culms and flag, 

 while that of fiber steadily rises in culms and flag and equally declines in the 

 ears. A heavy loss of dry matter was noted in the last 2 or 3 weeks of the 

 development of the wheat crop and it is believed that aside from the loss due 

 to falling off of flag, the occasional shaking out of grain, and the leaching 

 action of rain, there is some sort of migration of the mineral matter towards 

 the root system as maturity advances. 



The loss of weight on drying of a wheat crop is represented by approximately 

 three-fourths of the green weight of the crop in the full-bloom stage, and by 

 less than one-fourth of the green weight when the grain is ripe. Generally 

 speaking, early-cut hay retains slightly more moisture than late-cut hay. It Is 

 believed that aside from the loss of moisture due to evaporation a crop of hay 

 left to dry in the field undergoes a loss of moisture due to a chemical reaction 

 set up in the drying cells of the plants, which involves a breaking down and 

 loss of carbohydrates. This loss is estimated at 3* per cent of the original 

 green weight. 



" Direct digestion experiments show that hay cut at full bloom is more highly 

 digestible than any hay cut at later periods, and that in general the digestibility 

 of wheaten hay decreases by regular steps as the period of complete ripeness 

 is approached. In this connection there is a difference of over 12 per cent 

 between the digestibility of hay cut at full bloom and that of hay cut a week 

 before the ripening of the grain. This superior digestibility of wheaten hay 

 cut at full bloom holds good all along the line, with the exception, perhaps, of 

 the doubtful case of the mineral matter. The regular decline in the digestibility 

 of hays cut at later periods is most marked in the case of proteins and fiber. 

 Carbohydrates are, on the whole, rather erratic in their behavior, and perhaps 

 on the whole they may be considered more or less stationary in their direct 

 digestibility. 



"The albuminoid ratio is narrower and more favorable in character in the 

 earlier cut hays than in those in more advanced stages of development. This 

 arises from the more highly digestible condition of the proteins in the less 

 mature cuts of hay, and the overwhelming prejxtnderance of carbohydrates in 

 the later cuts." 



Apples for live stock, A. Truelle (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 26 {1913), No. 49, 

 pp. 727, 728). — Suggestions are given for the utilization of apples as a feed for 

 live stock. Rations containing apples are formulated for different animals. 



Acorns and beechnuts as feeding stuffs, O. Engels (Landiv. Vers. Stat., 82 

 (1913), No. 1-2, pp. 93-148). — This article summarizes the results of analyses 

 made by various investigators of acorns and beechnuts and of experiments 

 conducted in feeding these products to farm animals. It is concluded that 

 acorns are protein-poor but high in carbohydrate content ; that they are highly 

 digestible, although where fed in large quantities they hinder digestion and 

 are constipating; and that small quantities may be successfully fed to sheep 

 and goats, but are distasteful to dairy cows and horses. The shell comprises 

 approximately 15 per cent of the entire nut. 



Beechnut cake is successfully fed to cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, and poultry. 

 In large quantities it is said to have a toxic effect. The shell comprises ap- 

 proximately 34 per cent of the entire nut and contains 2.11 per cent tannic acid. 



