737 



CHAPTER I. 



UTILIZATION OP FOREST HERBAGE FOR FODDER. 



THE natural fodder produced by forests can be used in 

 several ways for cattle-fodder, either by driving the beasts 

 into the forest to graze, or by allowing men to cut grass or 

 the leaves of woody plants, and use them for stall-fodder. 

 The present chapter is therefore divided into two sections : 

 pasture, and grass-cutting. 



SECTION I. PASTUKK. 



Forest pasture includes all grasses, herbs, leaves and shoots 

 of shrubs, as well as forest plants. The best grasses and 

 herbage for milk production in the Alps are : I'on alpina, 

 Alrheniilla alpina, Plmitci^o alpimis, Mi'ian nmtcUina, Achillea 

 nmxchdta, etc.* The amount of fodder depends on considera- 

 tions, which are discussed under the following headings. 



1. Amount of Finltli-r. 



a. Climate. The production of fodder is greater in 

 favourable climates ; the cattle may be admitted into the 

 forest at the end of April, or the beginning of May, and may 

 remain till the middle of October. In unfavourable climates, 

 the duration of pasture is much shorter, in the higher Alps, it 

 lasts for only 10 to 12 weeks. May and June afford the best 

 pasture, at high altitudes, also July ; in these months there is 

 more fodder than in all the rest of the season. 



b. Soil. As regards soil, the amount of clay it contains (up 

 to a certain point) is the chief factor in producing fodder : 

 sandy soils produce as a rule the least grass ; limestone 

 mountains also produce little grass, being characterised often 



* W. St recker, " Erkennen u. Bestimmen cler Wiesengraser. " 3rd edition, 

 1900. 



F.U. 3 B 



