10 Oct., 1918.] The Sunflower. 623 



material. The crop was tested in a limited way as a soiling feed for 

 dairy cows to supplement the pastures, and also as ensilage. Encour- 

 aged by satisfactory results obtained, some 3 acres were seeded to sun- 

 flowers in the spring of 1916. They were planted in rows 28 inches 

 apart at the rate of 2'0 lbs. per acre. The crop was cultivated, not 

 irrigated. A portion of the field was cut and fed to dairy cows as a 

 supplement to the pasture during the latter part of the grazing season. 

 The sunflowers so used were first run through a feed cutter. The cows 

 ate the green sunflowers readily, consuming from 40 to 90 lbs. per 

 head daily, kept up the milk flow, and apparently did well on the feed. 

 The green sunflowers were fed in comparison with green corn, and the 

 results indicated that the sunflowers and corn were of equal feeding 

 value pound for pound. Only about 5 per cent, of the sunflowers were 

 in bloom, so there was no seed or grain in either case. 



The remainder of the crop was harvested after the first hard frost, 

 and yielded 22 tons per acre. The percentage of bloom was approxi- 

 mately the same as stated above. An ordinary ensilage cutter was used 

 in filling the silo. The ensilage was in first-class condition when the 

 silo was opened in March, and in practically all cases it was eaten with 

 relish at first feeding. In a few cases it required several days to 

 accustom the cows to the change from the oat and pea ensilage. In 

 order to determine the relative value of ensilage made from sunflowers, 

 two lots of cows were fed. Each lot contained seven cows, as nearly 

 equal as possible in breed, age, weight, condition, period of lactation, 

 pregnancy, milk production, and fat test. Lot 1 received grain and 

 clover hay, and lot 2 grain, clover hay, and sunflower ensilage. The 

 grain fed was a mixture of oats, 5 parts; malt sprouts, 2 parts; and 

 bran, 3 parts. The clover used was choice alsike. At the end of 

 28 days the lots were reversed, and lot 1 was fed with grain, clover hay, 

 and sunflower ensilage, and lot 2 grain and clover hay for 28 days. This 

 change was made to eliminate as far as possible variations due to indivi- 

 duality among the cows. A preliminary feeding period of seven days 

 was given at the beginning of each period of the experiment in order 

 to accustom the animals to the change of feed. Individual weights were 

 taken three days from the beginning, and at the close of each period, 

 and the averages of these weighings were taken as the initial and final 

 weight. Individual records of milk produced' and fat tests were used 

 in order to determine the production. In order to simplify the discus- 

 sion of results, the data obtained from lots 1 and 2, while fed grain and 

 clover hay, are combined in one table. Likewise, the data obtained 

 while they were fed grain, clover hay, and sunflower ensilage are 

 combined. 



Table 1, giving the data for the period when only grain and clover 

 hay were fed, shows that fourteen cows gained a total of 155 lbs., or 

 an average of 11 lbs. per cow, during the 28-day period. The fourteen 

 head consumed 5,140 lbs. of grain and 8,243 lbs. of clover hay, which 

 is practically a daily average of 13 lbs. of grain and 21 lbs. of clover 

 hay per cow. The total production during the period was 13,084.6 lbs. 

 of milk and 542 lbs. of fat, a daily average of 33.37 lbs. of milk and 

 1.382 lbs. of butter fat per cow. 



The data presented in table 2, covering the period when grain, clover 

 hay, and sunflower ensilage were fed, show that fourteen cows gained 



