H. E. Woodman 151 



32-47 per ceut. The dryness of the crop was probably connected with the 

 droughty season during which it was approaching maturity. TJie con- 

 sequence of this gradual increase in the percentage of dry matter was 

 that the sheep received a larger allowance of dry matter during the 

 period than was intended. Further, it was noted during the prehminary 

 feeding of the oat and tare hay, that one of the sheep was unable to con- 

 sume comfortably more than about 1000 gm. per day. There was no 

 alternative, therefore, but to cut down the daily ration to this amount, 

 and as a consequence, the amount of silage given in the daily ration 

 during the third period had to be kept at the hay dry matter level, since 

 it was desired, above all, to obtain a clean-cut comparison between the 

 hay and the silage. The possible effect of these circumstances on the 

 strict comparativeness of the trials will be discussed later. 



(Ireem Oats and Tares Period. 



Condition of crop during trial. The crop consisted of autumn-sown 

 oats and tares grown upon clay land. Equal quantities of grey winter 

 oats and tares were planted, but the tares predominated at the time 

 of the trial. Owing to the exceptionally dry summer, the crop was 

 short in the straw and .stood well. The oats were just coming into milk 

 and the tares were in full flower. The condition of the crop was therefore 

 almost ideal for cutting for liay, but was somewhat premature, according 

 to the customary practice, for silage. It follows that the conditions of 

 the trial slightly favoured the green oats and tares and the hay rather 

 than the silage. 



Table II. Composition of green oats and tares composite 

 samjile {calculated to dry matter). 



Average moisture content of green oats and tares = 67-53 °/g. 



Average amount of dry matter in green oats and tares per day = 1299-0 gm. 



Table III. Average weight and composition of faeces. 



Sheep I Sheep II 



gm. gm. 



Weight of fresh faeces daily 1483 1576 



Weight of dry matter daily 469-37 474-85 



Joum. of Agric. Sci. xii 11 



