118 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Prof. Smith : I want to say further that all the items of ex- 

 penses are included in this with the exception of the labor. We did 

 not figure the cost of labor; we figured that the cost of labor was 

 offset by the value of the manure. In states further east they con- 

 sider the value of manure worth much more than the labor. I feel 

 that the manure will well offset the labor. 



Question 

 clover ? 



What is the feed value of alfalfa over good red 



Prop. Smith: We have made no comparisons. I can't tell you. 

 We hope to get some information on that point. I w411 give it as 

 my personal opinion that in the experimental work I am convinced 

 alfalfa is superior to clover, because it is eaten with more relish ; 

 there is less waste. We have found that tbe cattle will sometimes 

 leave their grain to eat alfalfa. 



Now, we come to another problem. Thexe is the comparative 

 value of corn and alfalfa and corn and alfalfa and corn-stover. By 

 corn-stover I mean the stalk without the ear. We cut the corn as 

 soon as it is ripe, and the stover is the com stalk cured, just after 

 the com ripens. We have two experiments, as shown by the table 

 which follows : 



Table II. — Corn and alfalfa versus com, alfalfa and corn-stover: 



We have the shelled corn and alfalfa, and shelled com. alfalfa 

 and corn-stover. In the shelled com and alfalfa we have an aver- 

 age gain per day of 2.30 pounds. Now, when we add the rough- 

 ness, the stover, we get a little larger gain. You will notice that 

 the results, where we used the snapped com and alfalfa, were a 



