EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III. 119 



little ditferent. I dont think we can expect quite as good gains as 

 when we use shelled com, but in the case of the snapped com we 

 feed the husks, and they seem to be beneficial. 



In the second experiment where w'e used snapped com and 

 alfalfa, we had a gain of 2.18 per day; while in snapped com, 

 alfalfa and stover, the gains were not as great. You will notice 

 that the average daily gain was the same. When it comes to the 

 cost of the gain, we have a different proposition. We figure stover 

 at $2.50 per ton, and alfalfa at $6.00. The material on our farms 

 in Nebraska is usually wasted. They usually figure a stalk-field at 

 50 cents an acre. Xow, let us notice the cost gains: It is $6.89 

 without the stover; $6.49 with the stover. The second year it is 

 $5.49 without the stover, and $5.01 with the stover; and the 

 average for the two years, as shown upon the chart, is $6.45 without 

 the stover, and $6.05 with the stover; so that we produce beef at 

 40 cents per hundred less if we use the corn-stover. 



Question : Did you figure anything on the cost of cutting 1 



Prof. Smith: We figure the stover at $2.50. Now, the profits, 

 you will see, are $2.86 per steer without the stover, and $5.32 with 

 the stover. The next year they are $3.56 without, and $4.20 with 

 the stover. The average for the two years was 55 cents a hundred 

 in favor of the stover. Inasmuch as we figure stover at $2.50 a 

 ton, it seems w^ell worth while to save the stalks and make use of 

 them. I believe this is one of the reasons why we get better results, 

 at least more economical beef, by the use of stover, that in feeding 

 clear alfalfa we find the steers sometimes a little too loose, and I 

 think that is one of the reasons for getting better results — feeding 

 this roughness in the form of stover. I don't know but what you 

 might have just as good results if you mixed timothy hay with 

 alfalfa. 



Question: Why did you husk the corn? 



Prof. Smith : Why didn 't we leave it in the fodder ? I will say, 

 in carrjdng on these experiments we have to first of all make them 

 accurate. 



Question : Is shredded fodder the same thing as stover ? 



Prof. Smith : It would be the same thing and a little bit better. 



Question: To what extent is there danger of fire? 



Prof. Smith : There is a little danger ; if it is shredded too wet. 

 On our old farm in Michigan we nearly always shredded our com. 

 We waited until nearly November. I am convinced, however, it 



