DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING-STUFFS 155 



and leaves. As the leaves are considerably more 

 nutritious than the stem, those fodder plants which 

 have the most leaf in the same weight of produce 

 are to be preferred. 



(c) The distance apart at which the plants are 

 placed is also important, for usually there are 

 stronger stems and fewer leaves where plants grow 

 wide apart. Thin sowing gives then coarser fodder 

 than thick sowing, and the latter is to be preferred, 

 both on that account and because of the greater 

 yield. 



(d) Soil and manuring have very great influence 

 on the nutritive value of fodder. This is particu- 

 larly noticeable in meadows and permanent pastures, 

 where in the struggle for existence only those plants 

 survive which are under conditions where they can 

 obtain their nutrition. The differences in moisture 

 and temperature of the soil, the presence in it of 

 lime or acids, all tend to favour the growth of one 

 or more varieties of the natural flora. The result 

 is that on the one hand clovers, vetches, and sweet 

 grasses may flourish, whilst other conditions bring 

 forward rushes, horse-tails, or plants that grow well 

 on a sour soil. Only radical methods of cultivation, 

 such as draining, irrigation, liming, plentiful manur- 

 ing with potash or phosphoric acid can effect any 

 alteration ; the sowing of other seeds is quite useless 

 unless the conditions are altered in some of the 

 above ways. As regards the influence of manure 



