22 



THE HOP. 



letting it ferment freely it was pressed down with a 

 screw press and the next day was filled up again, and 

 when sufficiently fermented, again pressed down, this 

 process being repeated all through the hop picking. 

 By March I had used nearly the whole of it, and calcu- 

 late it saved me some 80 tons of hay. My horses have 

 had nothing else for two months, excepting their usual 

 allowance of corn, and I have never had them looking 

 better. I have also had 100 head of cattle, — stores, cows 

 and calves, — feeding on it, and they do well, the flow of 

 milk being increased. Dr. Voelcker has analyzed it 

 and says it contains plenty of good material, is decid- 

 edly rich in nitrogen, nor is the amount of organic acid 

 excessive or likely to harm cattle. Another chemist 

 says it contains more flesh-forming matter and less 

 indigestible fiber than hay. Planters should leave off 

 seUing hops at a loss, but let the plant run wild, and 

 they may every season cut two or three immense crops 

 of material that will make silage of unexceptionable 

 quality." 



